ATHABASCA – Emergency services responded to what’s been described as a ‘truck versus moose’ incident at approximately 6:20 p.m. Dec. 29 along Highway 813 just south of the Athabasca and District Agriplex.
A 2010 Toyota Tundra was heading southbound when it collided with a two-year-old moose calf. Athabasca Fire Department Captain Jamie Schmidtke said the lone occupant of the Tundra, a female driver, was taken to hospital as a precaution.
“She was a little shaken up, but was otherwise OK,” Schmidtke said. “The front of the truck suffered some front-end damage and the airbags went off, but otherwise I do believe it might be salvageable.”
He added at this time of year, motorists do need to watch for moose a lot more on the highway.
“It’s the time of year where it gets darker, and the moose love to blend in especially with their dark fur. They blend in so well with the ditches and the dark skies,” Schmidtke continued. “Hitting an adult moose can actually be fatal, as they do not simply bounce off of a vehicle like deer do.
“Emergency services did awesome work responding to this incident,” he added. “We got the scene set up, and traffic control was up within minutes. Scene safety in these situations is always a priority.”
