[mikegett]

Take Grouch's word for it. A deer will be more apt to freeze for a second at head lights. A interesting survey was put out a few years ago comparing accidents with deer and vehicles. The conclusion was that larger trucks tend to have a larger probability of hitting a deer than smaller, or lower vehicles. The thoughts were that two factors contribute to it. The first being that few truck owners reposition the head lights corrrectly. Since a truck sitts higher than a car the dim lights need to be angled lower. This is done at the factory but many owners will raise the truck or have larger tires placed onto it. This throws off the beam so that it is directed nearly straight on to the oncoming traffic or into the path of a deer. The other factor was that trucks are higher and tend to have more visibility problems compared to cars. The suggestions were to be more aware of what is in your path (and surrounding it) and ensure that your headlights are correctly positioned. The thermal imaging is interesting, but it would do little for the occassions when a animal jumps into your path at the last second. In the end, it is still our degree of awarenes and perception that avoids the accidents.