Moose

Moose Collisions

Moose represent approximately 7% of WVCs in the province^{1, 2}. While overall this is a smaller proportion of WVCs in BC, moose collisions are a serious concern due to the high risk they present to motorists. Collisions with moose pose a significant risk of injury or death to motorists and passengers for the following reasons:

• Moose are very large animals. Mature bull moose can weigh 450-500 kgs (990-1100 lbs) and stand nearly 2 metres tall at the shoulder; cows can weigh 340-420 kg (750-925 lbs)².
• Moose stand higher than the hood of most cars. In a collision, the legs of the moose are knocked out from underneath the animal and the large heavy body tends to slide up over the hood and crash down either onto the windshield or on to the top of the car, crushing the passenger compartment. The entire roof of a car can sometimes be removed by the force of such a collision.
• Moose are difficult to see at night. They are so tall that their eyes are often above the headlight beam of most cars, and therefore the eyes do not reflect vehicle headlight beams like other animals. Also, their coat is very dark and it blends into the dark surroundings.
  

Cost calculations show the average cost of moose-vehicle collisions to be $30,760 USD (~ $38,058 CAD)³. This includes vehicle repairs, human injuries and fatalities, towing, accident response and investigation, potential hunting revenue lost for the animal killed in the collision, and cost of disposal of the animal carcass.   

When & Where

Time of Year²

Most moose collisions occur during winter months, from November to February, and peak December to January. Collision peaks correspond with times of high snowfall, which may result in moose using roadside areas where snow is removed. Cleared snow may provide easier access to roadside vegetation, and salts used to melt ice on the road also serve as an attractant.

There is a smaller collision peak in summer (June to August), which is most notable in southern areas of the province. This could be due to last year's calves seeking out their own territories, pregnant cows moving to their calving grounds, and/or attraction to roadside mineral licks.

Time of Day¹

Moose collisions peak from 5 pm to 12 am. During the December peak, collisions tend to occur predominantly between 5 pm and 7 pm. 

Location²

Moose are found through most of BC, with the general exception of coastal areas, and are most abundant in northern BC. The majority of moose collisions in the province occur in northern BC, especially on highways around Prince George.

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References and Related Literature

1. O’Keefe S, Rea RV. 2012. Evaluating ICBC animal–vehicle crash statistics (2006-2010) for purposes of collision mitigation in northern British Columbia. Prince George (BC): Prepared for the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia [unpublished]. Available from: https://www.wildlifecollisions.ca/docs/icbcanimalcrashdata2006-2010.pdf
2. Sielecki LE. 2010. Wildlife accident monitoring and mitigation in British Columbia: WARS 1988-2007: special annual report. Victoria (BC): Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Available from: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/transportation-infrastructure/engineering-standards-guidelines/environmental-management/wildlife-management/wildlife-accident-reporting-system/wars-1988-2007
3. Traffic Injury Research Foundation. 2012. Wildlife-vehicle Collisions in Canada: A Review of the Literature and a Compendium of Existing Data Sources. Available from: https://tirf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/WildlifeVehicle_Collision_Deliverable1_Eng_6.pdf