The answer, of course, is that it was the chicken's day off. Chickens are taking an extended break this time of year, and more deer than usual have picked up the slack. Unfortunately, an increase in the number of deer means an increase in the number of deer vs. motor vehicle accidents.

In our last post, we shared some tips on how to avoid hitting a deer. Here, we thought we would go through what to do if you are unlucky enough to hit one.

The DNR recommends the following:

  • Report the accident to the Department of Transportation. If you will be submitting a claim to your auto insurer, you'll also need to contact the highway patrol.
  • If the deer is injured, contact the Columbia office of the DNR (803-734-3886). DNR personnel will help you locate a rehabilitator close to your location. If the deer is badly injured, police at the accident scene should euthanize the animal.
  • If you are in an accident that kills a deer, your next step depends on where the carcass is. If the animal is blocking traffic or the accident was on a public highway, you will want to contact the local public works department. Department personnel will arrange to have the carcass removed.
  • Drivers can also donate a fresh kill to charity or even keep it for themselves. In either case, the driver must notify law enforcement and obtain an incident report from responding officers.

South Carolina drivers fare better than many states, though the state is still in the high risk category. Here, the chances of hitting a deer -- all year, not just during the high season -- are 1 in 140. The national average is 1 in about 192. The most dangerous state for deer is West Virginia, where 1 in 53 drivers will collide with a deer in the year to come.

Sources:

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife-Deer-FAQs

State Farm Insurance Co., Likelihood of Collision with Deer (map)