Today host Matt Lauer was riding his bike in Long Island when he was assaulted by a hit-and-run deer.
Deer accident - Matt Lauer - Arrivals - The New York Hilton, 1335 Avenue of the Americas - New York City, NY, USA © Sylvain Gaboury / PR Photos
Statistically, the odd were in TV host Matt Lauer's favor; there are very little actual statistics out there of people who are hit by deer while bicycling.
Lauer reportedly missed work today, home recuperating from his weekend incident as he was riding his bicycle, according to his NBC cohort Meredith Vieira.
The bounding deer knocked right into Lauer while he was on the road, said Vieira.
The deer fled the scene and was not available for questioning.
Lauer, she informed viewers, "thinks the deer was hired by the competition." Not true, Vieira insisted. "I hired the deer, but I said, 'Just graze him.' "
"He was riding his bike over the weekend, and he had a run-in with a deer," Today show cohost Meredith Vieira explained on this morning's broadcast.
"He apparently dislocated his shoulder, and he's at the doctor's this morning."
According to Today, Lauer's injury occurred when the reckless animal darted into the road in front of his ride.
Lauer hit the brakes to avoid plowing into the four-legged doe, and the abrupt stop sent him bottom over teakettle right over the handlebars.
It's unclear when Lauer will return to his anchor duties.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there are about 1.5 million car accidents with deer each year that result in $1 billion in vehicle damage, about 150 human fatalities, and over 10,000 personal injuries.
The actual numbers are probably higher because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's figures for deer accidents, rely on inconsistent state reporting- there is no standard reporting of deer accidents in the country yet, and a "reportable deer accident" varies significantly between states.
In an insurance claims statistics study found the top ten states for deer accidents. According to this study, Pennsylvania drivers experience more deer collisions than any other state.
New York was not in the top ten.
Here are the worst states for deer collisions based on total number of claims filed with one of the countries largest auto insurers:
1) Pennsylvania
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