In figures that sound like something out of a TV commercial for insurance, there are an average of 135 automobile wrecks annually at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina that involve either deer or wild pigs, according to the Department of Energy.
Research by the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory found in a typical year wildlife can exert a heavy toll on automobiles at the sprawling 310-mile square site near Aiken, S.C.
On average there can be 95 deer collisions and 40 wild pig collisions at SRS, DOE said in a July press release. Nighttime travel can be especially hazardous.
The study, led by University of Georgia doctoral student Carson Pakula, also tested a “rear-facing lightbar that increased frontal illumination,” according to the release.
While lighting did not appear to make a big difference for white-tailed deer, pigs were a different story, according to the release.
“Pigs exposed to LED headlights-initiated flight substantially earlier than those exposed to halogen headlights, while the lightbar encouraged them to flee at greater distances as vehicle speed increased, potentially providing more time for animals and drivers to avoid a collision,” according to the DOE press release.
In 2024, over 1,500 hogs were removed from SRS, primarily through trapping efforts carried out by private contractors hired by the federal government, according to a 2025 report. SRS usually has an annual deer hunt to cull the deer population.