I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 65 MILES/HOUR ON HIGHWAY 17 NEAR APALACHIN, NY, WHEN A DEER JUMPED FROM THE RIGHT SIDE AND HIT THE FRONT OF MY CAR. BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. IMMEDIATELY, THE GAS RELEASED FROM THE AIRBAGS COMPLETELY FOGGED THE WINDSHIELD REDUCING VISIBILITY ZERO, SO I COULD NOT SEE WHERE I WAS GOING DURING THE BRAKING PERIOD. FORTUNATELY, I ONLY SHIFTED TO THE OTHER LINE AND THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND. THE GAS DEPOSIT REMAINED ON THE WINDSHIELD AND I HAD TO USE A CLOTH TO CLEAN IT. IN MY OPINION, THE FOGGED WINDSHIELD RESULTING FROM THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WAS A MUCH HIGHER SAFETY HAZARD THAN THE COLLISION WITH THE DEER ITSELF. AN UNRELATED COMPLAINT IS THAT AFTER THE CAR STOPPED, THE DOORS WERE BLOCKED (WOULD NOT OPEN) FOR HALF A MINUTE OR SO.
NHTSA ODI 11255919