Driver hurt in moose collision near mile 95 of Richardson Highway

A driver suffered minor injuries early Saturday, Aug. 1, after striking a moose near mile 95 of the Richardson Highway in Copper Center, the Alaska State Troopers said.

Troopers were dispatched at about 12:04 a.m. They determined the crash was a single-vehicle collision with a moose. Troopers assisted the occupants and contacted a charity for the moose.

Charitable organizations and volunteers take part in Alaska's roadkill salvage system. They travel to crash scenes to recover moose meat for families and communities rather than letting carcasses go to waste.

Similar crashes have occurred recently. One happened on the Glenn Highway near mile 124 about nine minutes earlier, with no injuries. Another happened July 1 near mile 62 of the Richardson Highway.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game calls moose-vehicle collisions "a serious safety concern in Alaska." A state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities study puts the statewide total near 500 collisions a year, a figure that can double in winters of heavy snowfall.

Federal subsistence planning documents cite Fish and Game data showing collisions on Copper Basin highways every year from 2021 through early 2024.