I can vouch for it being better hitting one head on. I hit a deer in a new rented Taurus two years ago; you know, the new jelly bean shape with the lousy headlights and ten foot larger turning circle than a 240. Anyway, in the split second I had to decide whether to try and avoid it and possibly losing control or hit it head on I decided the latter and sloughed off speed as quickly as I could and ran right in to it. Then the airbags deployed, or exploded into the cabin would better describe it, making me think I then had an electrical fire. The deer went right over the top of the car. The car was trashed. Horrendous! Then the rental company who I shall not name tried to bill me an "estimated loss of use" in addition to what my insurance paid. Overall I am glad I wasn't in my own 245 despite the additional "trauma" (might be a bit too strong a word) that I would probably have avoided.