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EDMONTON – An Alberta driver crashed into an adult moose and was left with only minor injuries. Now, Manning RCMP are sharing his incredible story.

On Tuesday, Dec. 17, Kevin McFadgen was driving south on Highway 35, to work in Peace River from his home in North Star, which is about 90 km north of Peace River.

At about 6 a.m., 20 km south of Manning, a semi-trailer heading north passed his vehicle and caused whiteout conditions.

RCMP say McFadgen slowed down, but, at the last minute, saw a moose in his lane.

“I was just driving, going to work, and it was a snow storm,” McFadgen told Global News. “I passed a semi-truck, and couldn’t see a thing, and next thing you know there was a moose on the hood.”

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Officers say it was too late for McFadgen to avoid the crash, so he ducked down below the dash in the front passenger seat as his SUV hit the moose.

“I didn’t have time to think about anything,” McFadgen recalled. “I didn’t see it until the moment of impact… just get out of the way.”

“When something’s coming at me, [I] get down.”

The animal was flipped up onto the hood of the vehicle and peeled the roof back. The moose did not survive the collision.

However, McFadgen was able to pull himself from the vehicle and call 911.

EMS responded to the scene and took him to a local hospital with only minor injuries.

“Judging by the extent of the damage seen on the vehicle, this is a perfect example of a driver who was paying attention to the road therefore able to quickly respond”, says Sgt. Thomas Howell, detachment commander of the RCMP in Manning. “Without Mr. McFadgen’s quick action and thinking, he may not be here today to tell this story.”

An Alberta SUV driver survives a crash with a moose on Highway 35 on Dec. 17, 2013. Supplied, Manning RCMP An Alberta SUV driver survives a crash with a moose on Highway 35 on Dec. 17, 2013. Supplied, Manning RCMP An Alberta SUV driver survives a crash with a moose on Highway 35 on Dec. 17, 2013. Supplied, Manning RCMP

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