Much like the modern professional truck driver, the moose is an oft-misunderstood animal. Here are five fast facts that should help take some of the guesswork out of Canada’s swamp donkey.

1. Moose, which can live for 20 years, can run at speeds of up to 56 km-h.

2. As many as 500 moose collisions occur each year in Newfoundland.

3. Studies of accidents show moose approaching from the right are avoided most often, perhaps due to how drivers scan the road.

4. Collisions occur most often in good driving conditions: On clear nights, in good weather, and on straight stretches of road.

5. Accidents are most frequent in the summer months, due to greater seasonal traffic in the province. n

Source: Department of Forest Resources and Agrifoods, The Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.