Fatal collision with moose

HOWLAND - Maine State Police said a Brewer man died early this morning when his van struck a moose on Interstate 95 in Howland. This is the state’s first fatal moose-vehicle collision this year. Troopers said the 60-year-old man died at the scene. The Brewer man was traveling alone and heading south on I-95 around 1 a.m. when crash took place

Police said drivers should exercise caution when driving at night because moose, despite their size, are virtually invisible due to their dark coloring and their height. Unlike deer, drivers can’t see the animal’s eyes reflecting light. Moose will suddenly dart into the road during the summer months to escape insects and are especially active at night.

Maine records over 500 moose-vehicle crashes annually, many resulting in serious injury. There were no fatal moose collisions in 2013 and in 2011, but two people died in separate moose crashes in 2012, and there were three fatal moose collisions in 2010.