How Much Do Grille Guards Reduce Damage from Animal Strikes?

Here in Northeast Wisconsin, run-ins with deer and other wildlife are a simple fact of life – and even more prevalent when you own or operate a trucking company. A key benefit of any grille guard is the protection it provides for your truck and equipment, but many drivers and trucking companies still have questions about how effective a grille guard is in an animal collision. Many want to know – how much do grille guards reduce damage from animal strikes? We may be able to help answer your questions at RIGGUARD.

Do Grille Guards Guarantee Protection from Animal Strikes?

No – there is no guarantee that a RIGGUARD grille guard will prevent ALL damage in the event of an animal strike – but a high-quality grille guard can significantly reduce damage, downtime, and repair costs. Data provided by State Farm illustrates the danger of deer and animal strikes with 1.9 million collisions with deer from July 2021 – June 2022 and the more you are on the road, the more likely you are to hit deer or other wildlife. 

A high-quality grille guard with high-quality materials can reduce the damage caused by an animal strike significantly. Freight companies have reported that the price of a grille guard is well worth it when compared to the cost of parts, repair, labor, and production lost. Animal strikes that may result in significant damage or immobilization without a grille guard cause No Damage or Minimal Damage with a grille guard. With a grille guard equipped, many companies can avoid costly repairs and just pay minimal costs for cleanup. 

How Much Damage Do Animal Strikes Cause?

Trucking and freight companies encounter more than their fair share of deer on the roads, due to the miles they drive and if you are considering the pros and cons of a RIGGUARD grille guard, it is important to know how much damage animal strikes can do – and how much repairs may cost. A truck without a grille guard that collides with a deer may be immobilized with damage to the radiator, transmission, transmission cooler lines, and more – and that doesn’t even include damage to the body, hood, and grille. 

Front-end damage can cost a lot to repair on your truck. AdjustRite – a collision estimate calculator – indicates that animal collisions to the front end can cost from $10,000 – $16,000 with repair, parts, and labor rates increasing each year. The cost to repair or replace radar sensors on trucks with collision-avoidance systems can cost $3,000 or more on their own. Additional costs are involved when you consider downtime – because every hour that truck is in the shop for repairs, you are not making money. Front-end repairs for trucks take an average of just over 2 days.

READ MORE: Do Grille Guards Affect Fuel Economy?

Do you operate a trucking company or drive independently? Do you constantly worry about collisions with deer or other wildlife? Do you question if a grille guard is worth the investment for your truck? You may be asking – how much do grille guards reduce damage from animal strikes? We hope that this overview created by RIGGUARD has helped point you in the right direction. Contact the RIGGUARD Team today to learn more about our grille guards and products!