Man Dies After His Car Hit a Moose Near Alaska’s Denali National Park

NEED TO KNOW

• A driver in Alaska died on Aug. 1 after his car hit a moose near the entrance of Denali National Park and Preserve

• The driver, a 24-year-old man from Bulgaria, was pronounced dead at the scene, and his 24-year-old female passenger from North Macedonia was taken to a hospital in Fairbanks

• "The collision serves as a sobering reminder of the hazards of wildlife along Alaska’s roadways," the National Park Service said

A driver in Alaska died and his passenger was injured after his car hit a moose near the entrance of Denali National Park and Preserve.

The collision occurred at around 1 a.m. local time on Friday, Aug. 1, just south of the park's entrance on Denali Park Road near Mile 235 of the George Parks Highway, also known as the Parks Highway, according to reports from CNN, the Anchorage Daily News and CBS News.

The National Park Service told the outlets that a 24-year-old man from Bulgaria was driving at the time of the accident, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 24-year-old female passenger from North Macedonia was taken to a hospital in Fairbanks, about 120 miles away.

"The collision serves as a sobering reminder of the hazards of wildlife along Alaska’s roadways," the park said in a statement. "Moose, caribou, and other large animals are often active at dawn, dusk, and nighttime hours, and can be difficult to see."

The National Park Service also said that it is working with the Bulgarian Embassy to notify the driver's next of kin, and then he will be identified.

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In its statement, the park also asked drivers in the area to reduce their speed in dark conditions and to use high-beam headlights whenever possible.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that more than 800 vehicle accidents are caused by moose collisions each year, and moose often don't survive collisions with cars. Although vegetation can attract moose year-round, the department also reports that most collisions take place in the winter months.

The Department of Fish and Game urges anyone driving through "moose country" to take a number of precautions to stay safe, including slowing down, particularly in poor weather conditions and at night, keeping windows and headlights clean for the best visibility possible, and to look for more moose if you spot one, as cows often have calves nearby.

The agency also warned drivers to stay alert by scanning the sides of roads for wildlife, keeping a large distance in between vehicles, looking up local moose ”hot spots” — or "local places where moose often cross the road" — and to use hazard lights while driving to warn other drivers about moose.

Read the original article on People