NEWPORT — Moose are a serious road hazard in northern New England. Many people have suffered extensive vehicle damage and eighteen people have lost their lives in collisions with moose in Vermont. Thankfully, Dennis Parent was not one of them.
Parent, 46, of Sutton, struck a moose in Newport Center at around 10:40 p.m. on Friday night, while traveling south on Vermont Route 100. He was driving a Chevrolet Work Van, which was totaled. The moose died as a result of the collision.
“There was another car coming toward me, and so I really didn’t see the moose because of the oncoming headlights,” Parent said. “Right at the last second it appeared in front of the other car, hitting my driver side window. It pushed the windshield in, down to the steering wheel. I don’t know if it was walking or running because I didn’t see it.”
Parent spoke with Newport Dispatch on Sunday about the accident. He was back to work, and stated that he did not suffer any serious injuries.
“From the glass going over my hands and face I did get some little scratches, like what you might get from working with fiberglass.”
Any motor vehicle accident comes down to a matter of seconds, and Parent realized just how fortunate he was to have walked away from the crash uninjured.
“It could have been a lot worse. A hundredth of a second either way could have made a difference of where the moose hit me. If it would have come through the windshield, it would have been worse.”
Parent also wanted to express appreciation to the Newport Center Fire Department, as well as the Vermont State Police.
“Newport Center Fire Department did a great job with traffic control and cleaning up the glass and coolant that leaked out of the van. The police were also quick to respond, and everything after the accident went smoothly.”
