Drivers are urged to pay attention to road wildlife signs, after research found Sunbury and Gisborne are the two suburbs with the highest animal-related road collisions in Victoria.
The study, conducted as a survey by Pure Profile on behalf of AAMI Insurance, analysed a sample of 1004 Australians aged over 18 years old.
Sunbury was named as the state’s hotspot for animal collisions, followed by Gisborne.
The study found that in Victoria, the most common time for animal collisions were between 8pm and midnight, with Saturday being the most common day and kangaroos being the most hit animal.
The country-wide study also found that there were more collisions in the colder months, with more than a quarter of road accidents involving wildlife taking place between June to August.
AAMI motor claims manager Leah James said that there are steps drivers can take to reduce the chances of colliding with an animal on the road, with dusk and dawn driving requiring extra awareness.
“To avoid a collision with wildlife, slow down when you see warning signs, scan the road ahead, and use your peripheral vision to keep an eye on the edges for wildlife feeding, or about to cross,” Ms James said.
The responses also showed that one in 10 Australians would not know what to do if they struck an animal while driving, and nine percent would choose to continue driving.
Oscar Parry
