CARRABASSETT VALLEY — Caution is the word from police Chief Scott Nichols after three motor vehicles hit moose in less than a week.

All three moose, estimated to weigh from 700 to more than 800 pounds, suffered broken legs and had to be shot.

On Tuesday, a large bull moose bounded over a guardrail in the S curves on Route 27 and into a van driven by Pam Morse of Carrabassett Valley, Nichols said.

Morse was driving south at about 8 a.m. in a 2005 Chrysler when the moose bounded up a steep embankment from the river side of the road and into her vehicle, then bounced into a ditch.

She was not hurt, but the van sustained more than $5,000 damage, he said.

On Tuesday, Ryan Turcotte, 32, of Monmouth was driving his Kia sport utility vehicle north on Route 27 when it struck a moose near the Wyman Township line, Nichols said. The front of the SUV was damaged, he said.

A third accident occurred last Friday when Heather Tufts, 21, of White River Junction, Vt., struck a moose at about 8 p.m. on the Sugarloaf Access Road. The moose hit the windshield, showering Tufts with glass and causing minor facial cuts, he said.

Her Ford sedan sustained about $1,000 damage, he said.

Nichols advised drivers to keep speeds at posted limits and to be alert to the surroundings, especially at dusk and early morning.

“It’s a reality of living in Maine,” he said of moose moving around during mating season.

“A large animal like this can crash through the windshield and end up inside of a small vehicle, severely injuring the driver or passengers,” Nichols said.

Accidents happen quickly, but if possible it’s better to hit the moose from the side of the vehicle rather than straight on and to brace for impact, he said. Air bags do not deploy because the vehicle strikes the moose’s legs, throwing it into the air before it lands on the vehicle, Nichols said.

“It’s like a big hammer handle,” he said. “If you hit the handle, (the mallet) can go into the air and come back and hit you.”

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