Alaska News

State warns of rising risk of winter moose crashes

State transportation and wildlife officials are warning Alaska drivers of the rising risk of moose-vehicle crashes, saying the danger stems from winter darkness and an absence of snow to contrast with the deep brown ungulates.

The majority of the more than 500 annual moose crashes in Alaska take place between November and February, according to state data, with many crashes occurring between 6 p.m. and midnight.

An advisory issued by transportation officials this week quoted a state wildlife biologist as saying that without snow on the ground, "moose are harder to see, and people generally drive faster."

The release instructs drivers to slow down, especially at night and during bad weather, to be alert in areas that are signed for moose crossings, and to pay attention to telltale signs like flickering in the headlights of oncoming traffic.

While the news release highlighted visibility problems posed by the lack of snow so far this winter, it's not clear that a shift in weather patterns would present drivers with any risk. In late November last year, state transportation officials issued a similar press release warning that increasing snowpack was pushing moose out of the mountains and into lowland areas -- into the path of oncoming traffic.

Moose-vehicle collisions make up a significant chunk of all crashes in Alaska -- about 5 percent in 2010, or 670 of 12,400, according to the most recent report published by state transportation officials.

Moose crashes actually result in a lower rate of injury to drivers and passengers than other types of collisions, according to the state report. Some 13 percent of moose crashes led to minor injuries for vehicle occupants in 2010, 0.7 percent resulted in major injuries, and there were no fatalities.

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Some 20 percent of the moose crashes in 2010 occurred in Anchorage.

That year was the most recent for which state transportation personnel have published complete crash data. An Alaska Department of Transportation spokeswoman, Jill Reese, also provided a spreadsheet showing that there were three fatal moose crashes in 2013, and four in 2012.

Alaska State Troopers have reported four moose-vehicle crashes since last week.

Nathaniel Herz

Anchorage-based independent journalist Nathaniel Herz has been a reporter in Alaska for nearly a decade, with stints at the Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Public Media. Read his newsletter, Northern Journal, at natherz.substack.com

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