Moose strikes cause 30,000-pound impact on car in Anchorage

Firefighters measured forces of up to 40,000 pounds pressing into a sedan after a moose landed on its roof during a Monday night collision on an icy Anchorage road. The impact left the 18-year-old driver trapped inside the badly damaged vehicle, requiring multiple crews to use hydraulic rescue tools to extract her.

Autumn Stone was driving home when the animal entered the roadway. Her mother, Megan Stone, stated that Autumn had no time to brake. Emergency medical technicians and doctors who treated the teen described her survival as surprising given the severity of the wreck.

This incident occurred during a seasonal rise in animal-vehicle crashes in the region. Fish and Game Biologist Cory Stantorf noted that approximately 100 such collisions happen annually in the Anchorage area. He explained that the numbers climb as moose begin moving for the rut. Drivers face reduced visibility during the morning commute because there is no snow to illuminate the animals against the dark background.

Stantorf emphasized that the lack of contrast limits reaction time compared to summer months. He urged drivers to reduce speeds to account for the sudden appearance of large animals in low-light conditions.

Anchorage firefighter Jason Dolph detailed the physics of the crash. He explained that when a car strikes a moose at highway speeds, the animal often becomes suspended in the air before landing back on the vehicle. In this specific case, the moose landed on the hood, windshield, and roof area.

Stone reported that Autumn remained in the intensive care unit as of Wednesday. She is expected to stay in the ICU for several more days. Her injuries include brain bruising, lacerations, and a broken hand, but no catastrophic damage was identified.

Megan Stone viewed photographs of the wreck and expressed relief that her daughter survived. She described the images as horrifying but noted that they provided context for how close the family came to a worse outcome.