by Lawrence Garland, Wildlife Biologist
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
September 2001

Seeing a moose can be a thrilling experience.  Meeting a moose on the highway, however, can have deadly consequences.

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department offers the following suggestions to help make your encounters with moose safer.

Moose are most active at night and are most frequently seen at dawn or dusk when visibility for motorists is poor - particularly of concern during this time of year as the sun sets earlier. Peak periods of moose activity occur during the spring as moose move from winter habitat back in the woods to more readily seen areas nearer people and in autumn when the breeding season occurs. Motorists need to be most alert when driving in moose country at these times. Key tips are:

• Stay alert.
   
• Drive at speeds within the braking distance of  your headlights at night, even if this is below the posted speed limit.
   
• Constantly scan the road shoulders as far ahead as you can see. At night, you will often see a spark of light ahead as the moose's eye is reflected in your headlights. That may be all the warning you get.
   
• Pay particular attention in areas where moose crossing signs are posted. These are places with a history of accidents involving moose.
   
• If you see a moose while driving and want to watch it, get off the road so another driver coming along behind you doesn't run into the back of  your car. Remember, only emergency stops are allowed on Interstate highways, and moose watching isn't considered an emergency.

Some people have asked if they really need to be concerned about hitting a moose on a Vermont highway. They often point out that it only happens 100 or so times a year. Consider the following:

• Moose weigh up to 1,000 pounds; a few are even larger.  That's bigger than most horses.
   
• Moose, like other animals, react to instinct and often do the exact opposite of what they should for their own safety when crossing roads.
   
• Moose are black in color. At night, they're almost invisible. And the moose's long legs carry its body so high above the road surface that headlight beams often shine right under its belly.
   
• Unless you're driving a tractor trailer truck, the moose's belly would be above your vehicle's hood. In a head-on collision the moose will likely go through the windshield and into the front seat.
   
• High-cost motor vehicle damage, human injuries and even human fatalities (Vermont has had three in the past decade) make moose collisions more dangerous than those involving deer.