Eric E. Smith, 36, Jeffrey Tuax, 30, slightly injured, taken to hospital, after their car strikes a large moose on State Route 2 near Westminster.

It was bad luck for the moose and a close call for four men in their 30s traveling on Route 2 in Westminster early Thursday morning.

Around 5:30 a.m. Thursday, driver Eric E. Smith, 36, of 18 Jackson Hill Road, Gardner, hit and killed a large moose with his 1997 Subaru Legacy while traveling east on Route 2 near exit 26. Passenger Jeffrey Tuax, 30, was treated for minor injuries; Bryan Meuer, 34, and Chris Comer, 37, also in the vehicle, were not reported injured, according to state police.

Environmental Police and the state Highway Department were called to remove the moose from the highway.

Trooper Sabay A. Buth said he had never seen a moose accident before he was transferred to the Athol barracks from the eastern part of the state two years ago.

"I had never experienced it before until I worked here," he said. "Now, I've seen too many."

"If it is late at night and dark, there is no way to avoid a moose or deer when there is limited visibility," Trooper Buth said. "You can't really stop when you are going the speed limit at 55 and there is a moose 100 yards from you. It is hard to react."