How many times has this happened to you: you are driving at night, and the next moment you are confronted by an animal either standing in, or busy walking onto the road which you are traveling on. This is exactly what has happened to one of our clients, Mr. André Steenkamp. On his way, a calf was walking onto the road as he was coming around the bend. The result was unfortunately unavoidable, as the vehicle struck the calf at 120km/h. Here follows the video of the incident:

Click here to watch the video

What normally should’ve been an incident which would’ve seen Mr. Steenkamp’s vehicle being written off, wasn’t the case as the Rhino 4×4 Evolution 3D bumper fitted to his Toyota Prado, deflected most of the impact away from the radiator and other sensitive components housed within the engine compartment. This meant that Mr. Steenkamp could drive back home without any hassle and have his Prado repaired that following week. In the photos below you can see the aftermath of the accident.

The Rhino 4×4 Evolution 3D bumper comes in 3 separate pieces which meant that only the damaged parts needed to be replaced, not the full bumper. In this case only the left side section needed to be replaced.

In an article written by the Arrive Alive campaign, it is noted that there is no fool-proof way to keep animals away from the roads. Hoofed mammals that stand high on their legs, such as cattle, horses and antelope such as kudu pose the most danger to vehicle occupants. If they are hit, they can roll onto the bonnet and into the windshield or roof, resulting in extensive damage and serious or fatal injury. Due to their height, their eyes are above most headlight beams.

Adding a good quality bull-bar or replacement bumper can be a great help in minimising the impact or damage caused to your vehicle when colliding with an animal. The Rhino 4×4 Evolution 3D bumper is the perfect option for any vehicle as all of the products are of the highest quality, have all been impact tested, are all airbag compatible and certified, and require no cutting of any kind to your vehicle. Before going on your next adventure, make sure that you contact us for all of your 4×4 accessory needs.