March Is When Moose Collisions Begin To Spike In Maine

In Maine, a sharp uptick in vehicle crashes involving moose tends to start in March.

Most Mainers have a story or two of driving down the road and having a deer or moose jaywalk into the road. For some it's a story of a close call, for others it's the story of a wrecked vehicle. While peak deer collisions tend to uptick later in the spring, March is when to watch out for the big fella's.

In Maine, the uptick in vehicle crashes involving wildlife tends to begin in March. The Maine Department of Transportation says, "Although the number of deer collisions peaks in June, March is when we see these numbers start to rise." According to their data, between May and June is peak time for crashes involving moose. Data collected from 2011-2015 shows Aroostook county leading the state by a large margin in moose related crashes, followed by Penobscot county.

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Vehicle crashes involving deer tend to drastically increase September through November. Cumberland county leads the state in deer related crashes, closely followed by Penobscot county. The Maine DOT reminds drivers to "to drive extra attentively between dusk and dawn when deer are most likely to appear. Protect yourselves and Maine’s wildlife!"