Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) released dashcam video from May 17 showing an officer colliding with an elk as it sprinted across a road.
The video shows Trooper Dave Gleich travelling along a darkened highway near Great Falls, Mont., when an elk unexpectedly runs out onto the road.
The animal is shown nearly being hit by an oncoming car, before Gleich plows into the elk with his cruiser.
The car’s airbag deployed and Gleich was able to escape the crash without injuries.
“Are you all right?” another driver can be heard asking Gleich.
“Yeah,” responds Gleich. “I think.”
MHP released the video as a reminder to drivers to always be on the lookout for wildlife while driving, and never swerve in an attempt to miss an animal.
“Please always wear your seatbelt and never veer for deer,” read MHP’s Facebook post.