Newfoundland Government Ignorant of Science on Moose Vehicle Safety

That's the conclusion of world expert Dr. Tony Clevenger - the Newfoundland government has managed to ignore scientific knowledge about how to effectively mitigate moose vehicle collisions and the injuries they cause.

The Affidavit of Dr. Clevenger is now posted on our website.  The Newfoundland government boasts that it is spending $2 million this year on brush cutting, but current scientific knowledge does not support brush cutting as there is concern that new growth will draw moose to the highways.  Driver education as practiced by our government is ineffectual, and so is the signage program.  Our government has decided to ignore the safety measures that do work, namely fencing with or without underpasses/overpasses. 

Dr. Clevenger also outlines a cost-benefit analysis.  MVCs have a social cost in Newfoundland of at least $20 million a year, he says.  At an average cost of $30,000 per collision, fencing the many stretches of our highways would pay for itself on a dollars and cents calculation alone.

Bottom line, the officials in the civil service upon whom the government depends for advice appear to be 10 or 15 years behind current knowledge about the prevention of moose vehicle collisions.  Time for the government to overrule the officials and save some money - and some lives!