At the Trenti Law Firm, we represent numerous clients who received injuries in an auto accident. Consequently, we know that driving on Montana’s roads can be hazardous, especially in the winter, and most especially if a moose decides to cross the road right in front of you.
InsuranceHotline.com advises that should a moose or another of our large wildlife species unexpectedly jump out in front of your car, do not swerve to miss it, even though this probably will be your first instinct. Swerving likely will cause you to hit a guardrail, an oncoming vehicle or something equally as bad as hitting the moose, if not worse. If the road is snowy or icy, you could lose complete control of your car, resulting in a very serious accident.
What to do after the collision
Assuming you cannot safely slow down in time to avoid hitting the moose, you should then take the following four steps:
- Pull onto the road’s shoulder and engage your blinkers.
- Use your cellphone to call 911 and report the accident, plus whether or not you, your passengers or the moose is hurt and needs emergency assistance.
- If the moose is hurt, do not attempt to help it; it likely will try to bite or otherwise injure you if you do.
- Get out of your car if you can safely do so and check for damage that could make it unsafe or impossible to drive, including leaking gasoline or other liquids, damaged or missing wheels, etc. If any such damage exists, call your roadside assistance service, assuming you have one, or call 911 back to report that you need a tow truck.
For additional information, please visit this page on our website.
