The moose are on the loose; motorists urged to keep a wary eye

New Hampshire safety officials are urging both residents and visitors to remember to brake for moose when traveling on New Hampshire's roadways. There were 58 reported collisions between moose and vehicles in New Hampshire in 2022.

While moose are active year-round, May through October are high-risk months for collisions. This is because moose at this time of year are attracted to salty mud adjacent to the road and tend to move more often in low-light conditions.

When driving on New Hampshire roads, keep these points in mind:

• Moose and vehicle collisions happen statewide on all types of roads.
• Moose collisions occur most often from May through October.
• While collisions can happen at any time of day, they occur most frequently at dusk and at night.
• Moose are dark brown, making them hard to see against the pavement, especially at night.
• Don't depend on "eye shine" (reflected light from headlights) to alert you to a moose's presence; moose don't always look at an approaching vehicle.
• To reduce the chance of a collision--or the severity of occupant injury if you do hit a moose: Do not drive at high speeds, wear your seatb elt, scan the sides of the road, be able to stop within the zone of your headlights, use high beams whenever possible, and if you see a moose, slow down or stop if necessary, until you have passed it or it has left the road