... there are lots of times I don't unload my rifle during deer season..
Yeah, an old hunting buddy of mine did that once, even though it's illegal here. When he picked up his rifle to head back into the woods, he created a nice .30 hole in the floorboard of his Jeep.

Luckily, no one was hurt, including his Jeep (except for the floorboard).
"I drive a lot of country roads and if I see a deer on the way back in I need that gun loaded and ready in the truck with me.. "
Is it legal to hunt from a vehicle in Kansas? Just wondering, because it's not in Kentucky, unless you are disabled, and then the vehicle must be motionless and you can't shoot on or over a roadway.
Swoop