Lapland
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Driving In Lapland Will Give You Many Nice Experiences.

Driving In Lapland You Have To Beware of Moose and Reindeer

When driving in Lapland you have to always have in mind that large parts of Lapland consists of enormous woods. This means that there are often animals crossing the roads and even running along the roads.

Reindeer can create dangerous situations in traffic

Moose-related accidents

There has been an increase in moose-related accidents in Lapland. The moose are always moving. Thus you must be carefu - even if you don't see a moose sign on the road.

The moose is the most dangerous animal in the Lapland traffic. It is a very heavy animal, and if you crash with it, there is most often serious casualties. Concentrate when driving. Consider your speed.

The moose is abundant in most parts of Lapland. It is a forest animal, but can also cross mountain plateaus. You find roadsign warnings nearly all over Lapland. So beware! It would be bad for you to get 400 kilos of meat in your lap.

Collisions with moose do not happen very often, but they are often lethal.

Reindeer accidents

When driving in Lapland you have to remember that reindeer are everywhere. It is lighter than the moose. But still you have to be careful. A crash with a reindeer often causes heavy damage on the car. But there is seldom serious injuries on people.

Be alert when driving, especially at dawn and dusk. Reindeer are a common cause of accidents. If you hit a reindeer, you have to inform the local authorities. They will in turn inform the owner of the deer.

Unlike moose which usually runs to the road suddenly and alone, the reindeers hang around peacefully in groups and collisions are usually easy to avoid when slowing down at once when the first reindeers appear in sight.

Winter driving in Lapland

Driving in Arctic conditions can be dangerous in winter. Winter tyres are mandatory.The most dangerous weather is when the temperature is around zero, when near-invisible black ice forms on the roads. It is very slippery.

It's a good idea to bring emergency supplies in case of a collision or breakdown. Locals will help if they can, especially in winter, but you may be in for a long, very cold wait.

Read more about winter driving in Lapland.