Moose collision 'just like a Hollywood movie,' says driver

Close call with moose, motorist

5 years ago

Duration 0:25

Scary situation for this driver

There aren't many things drivers fear more than collidingwith a moose.

That fear became a reality for Jason Spurrell over the weekend.

"[It was] like a Hollywood movie. When you see those movies where someone bangs into a wall or T-bones a vehicle, and that ringing that they play in someone's ears that's exactly what it felt like," said Spurrell.

Spurrell's vehicle collided with a moose on the Trans-Canada Highway near theFoxtrap Access Road while he was driving to Paradise from Holyrood. Smashing into the animal while driving 100 km/h,both Spurrell and his partner managed to survive the crash with minimal injuries and startling dashcam footage of the event.

Airbags exploded

"We saw a few flashes oflight from across the other side of the highway, and you slowed down and then you see the big moose first. And then we never saw that second one. And that's when we hit it and [there was an] explosion from the airbags," said Spurrell.

"Just to smash off of a moose hitting your windshield, in the front of your vehicle, is just amazing."

"I was a driver and my partner was a passenger. And I remember just when we came through, putting it in park, turning it off getting out of the vehicle, you know, going over to the passengerside to make sure,just to get out of the vehicle because it was dark. Traffic was oncoming so the risk of someone hitting us again or something like that would definitely be there."

Lucky to be alive

"I was very surprised. Growing up in Newfoundland and Labrador, you see a lot of moose accidents on the news and on the internet, and to see the damage that's here and where the headlights are supposed to be on the driver's side and to only get a few marks is definitely amazing," he said.

After the accident, Spurrell finds himself reliving the incident by watching the footage.

"You know, I always callmyself a good, cautious driver but, you know, we have the dashboard camera that everyone has seen. So you know I'm after looking at that part about a thousand times trying to overanalyze what could I have done different if I was going one kilometre faster, one kilometre less.

"I can't even explain. I even get anxious now, just talking about it. Maybe something up above was watching us and taking care of us."

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