Driving in Alaska Winter and Moose Country

Photo: Beeblebrox, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Driving in Alaska means ice, long dark hours and large animals on the road. The Alaska Driver Manual says most vehicle and moose crashes happen at dawn and dusk. If you hit a moose or other big game animal, you must tell a State Trooper or Fish and Wildlife officer as soon as possible. This guide is for Alaska learners and new drivers. It covers the manual’s rules and advice on winter roads, skids, night driving and animal collisions, all of which can appear on the knowledge test.

Key facts

If an animal runs out: brake firmly, do not swerve.
Big game killed or injured by a vehicle is state property. Notify a State Trooper or Fish and Wildlife officer as soon as possible.
Headlights: from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, and whenever visibility is 1,000 feet or less.
Following distance: four seconds normally, six or more on wet or slippery roads.
Skid: turn the front wheels in the direction of the skid. Do not brake suddenly or overcorrect.

Moose, caribou and other animals on Alaska roads

The manual says moose, caribou, deer and other large animals are present in most areas of the state, and that moose are hard to see.

How to avoid hitting a moose

Take extra care at dawn and dusk, when light is low and moose are most active. Scan the road and the roadsides ahead.
Slow down at night and use high beams when you can (dim them within 500 feet of oncoming traffic).
Keep headlights and windshield clean.
Slow down for any moose or deer near the roadside. They may bolt into the road.
Where one animal crosses, expect more. Deer and moose often travel in pairs or groups.
Briefly use flashers or a headlight signal to warn oncoming drivers when you see an animal near the highway.
Watch for drivers pulling over suddenly to look at wildlife.
Take extra care in signed crossing areas (moose, leaping deer and caribou signs).
Do not rely on deer whistles, extra lights or reflectors. The manual says your own behavior is the best defense.

If an animal runs in front of you

Brake firmly but do not swerve. The manual warns that swerving can cause a crash with another vehicle, or put you into a pedestrian, a tree or a utility pole.

Reporting a struck animal in Alaska

Pull off the road safely and turn on your hazard lights. If you are blocking traffic, move if you can.
Contact the local police department or the Alaska State Troopers. Call 911 if anyone is hurt.
If you killed or injured a big game animal, notify a State Trooper or a Fish and Wildlife officer as soon as possible. Big game killed or injured in a vehicle collision belongs to the state.
Do the normal crash steps too. Report the crash to the DMV within 10 days unless a police officer investigated it. If anyone was hurt or property damage is $501 or more, send the DMV a certificate of insurance within 15 days.

National crash steps: what to do after a car crash in the US.

Driving on ice and snow in Alaska

Before you set off

Clear frost and snow from all windows, including the rear window, so you can see behind you.
Clean ice and snow off your turn signals and lights so other drivers can see you.
Keep the fuel tank full in cold weather to prevent moisture condensing in the tank.
Use tires with good tread. Studded tires are allowed only where and when they are legal.
Never run the engine in a closed garage. Do not sit parked with the heater running and the windows closed. Carbon monoxide has no color or smell.

On the road

Slow down well before your stopping point on ice or packed snow.
Bridges, shaded spots and sheltered areas get slippery before the rest of the road and stay slippery longer. Be extra alert when temperatures are around freezing and thawing.
Avoid sudden changes of speed or direction.
Do not lock the wheels. On a slippery surface, pump the brakes lightly. If your car has ABS, follow its owner’s manual instead.
Increase your following gap to six seconds or more.
To test for ice, brake gently where it is safe, after checking your mirror.
Drive at a speed that fits the road surface and visibility. The posted limit is for good conditions.

How to recover from a skid

Stay calm.
Turn the front wheels in the direction of the skid.
Do not brake suddenly.
Do not oversteer or overcorrect. Overcorrecting just changes the direction of the skid.
As you regain control, slow down by gently pressing and releasing the brake.

Front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive vehicles need gentle acceleration to pull out of a skid. The manual recommends practicing stopping and skid recovery at slow speed on private property before you drive on ice or packed snow in traffic.

Night driving and long dark hours

Headlights on from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, and in daytime when fog, rain, snow, smoke or dust cut visibility to 1,000 feet or less.
Dim your lights within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet of a vehicle you are following.
Use low beams in rain, fog, snow or dust.
Glare: do not look straight into oncoming headlights. Use quick glances at the road edge and your lane position.
Do not overdrive your headlights. The four-second rule also works at night.
No off-road lights on the road. Any light marked “for off-road use only” must not be used.
Parking lights are for parked vehicles only, never for driving.

Emergencies and breakdowns on remote roads

Disabled vehicle: get all four wheels off the traveled road if you can, use parking lights or 4-way flashers at night, and set out flares or triangles. If you cannot move off the road, raise the hood.
Parking outside city limits: get all four wheels off the pavement if you can. At night, leave parking lights or low beams on unless you are 8 feet from the pavement edge.
Blowout: do not brake hard. Steer, slow gradually and pull completely off the pavement.
Wheels off the road: ease off the gas, brake lightly, and return to the pavement slowly once no cars are close.
Drowsy: stop driving. The manual suggests a break every 100 miles.
Floods and snowmelt run-off: never drive through a flooded road. The manual says 6 inches of water reaches the bottom of most cars, and 2 feet of moving water can carry away most vehicles.

Winter kit the manual suggests

Jumper cables, three flares and a flashlight
Windshield washer fluid and booted anti-ice wiper blades
Snow tires or chains, a frost scraper and snow brush, and a tow chain
An emergency kit with a first aid kit, extra clothes and boots, a blanket, sand, a shovel and food

Common questions

Should I swerve to miss a moose in Alaska?

No. The Alaska Driver Manual says to brake firmly and not swerve.

Who do I call after hitting a moose in Alaska?

The local police or the Alaska State Troopers. If the animal was killed or injured, you must also notify a State Trooper or Fish and Wildlife officer as soon as possible.

Can I keep the meat from a moose I hit?

The manual says big game killed or injured in a vehicle collision is the property of the state. Do not take it. Ask the Trooper or Fish and Wildlife officer you report to.

Do I need studded tires in Alaska?

The manual lists snow tires or chains as suggested equipment, not required equipment. Studded tires may be used only where and when they are legal.

What is the safe following distance on snow?

The manual teaches four seconds in good conditions and six or more on wet or slippery roads.

Do I need to pull over if traffic builds up behind me on a snowy highway?

Yes. On a two-lane road outside an urban area, pull over safely when five or more vehicles are lined up behind you.

Back to the full guide: learning to drive in Alaska. Practice these conditions as part of your 40 certified hours. More: driving in snow, fog and rain and the Alaska permit test.

Sources

Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, “Alaska Driver Manual” (Rev. 10/2025) (dmv.alaska.gov)
Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, “Road Test Information” (dmv.alaska.gov)

Driving in Alaska: Winter Roads, Skids and Moose Country