The Newfoundland Road Code

In other parts of the world, when you’re driving down the highway and someone flashes their lights at you, it might mean that the police are heading towards you. It could mean that you’ve left your high beams on. It might even mean that they’re going to yield right-of-way to you. Here in Newfoundland, though, it often has a different meaning:

MOOSE!

White legs and brown body lets them blend into the roadside.

Though it’s not in the official driver’s handbook, when Newfoundlanders learn to drive, we get the message that a good driver warns oncoming traffic when there’s a moose on or near the highway. When we see a moose, we slow down (because let’s face it – those things are faster and more agile than they look!), flash our headlights at oncoming traffic, and then flash our brake lights at any traffic that’s coming up behind.

That’s the Newfoundland Road Code – be careful about moose, and warn oncoming traffic. With the warmer weather approaching and more traffic on the roads, we’ll be watching for moose on the roads and following the code.

Sometimes glowing eyes are the only give-away.

What about you? Have you experienced the Road Code for yourself?

-Valerie Abbott