If you’re spent even a little time driving through rural Australia, there’s a good chance you’ve had the surprise of a kangaroo jumping across the road.
With serious power in their hind legs with a hefty frame to boot (male kangaroos can weigh up to 90kg), it’s not hard to see why an accident with a kangaroo could leave you, the animal and your vehicle worse for wear.
To help both you and the ‘roos to get to your destinations safely, we’ve rounded up eight top tips to reduce the risk of a car accident when you’re driving on roads in kangaroo hot spots.
You’re much less likely to encounter kangaroos along the roads during the day and you’ll have better visibility to spot any that are around. When dusk hits and temperatures start to cool down, kangaroos get active and come out to feed, ditto at dawn, plus less light at night means they’re harder to spot on the road.
Statistically, most kangaroo-related car accidents happen in winter. Shorter daylight hours means more hours for kangaroos to be out and about, with cooler weather and less intense temperatures. Add to the mix poor winter weather or icy roads and driving conditions become even trickier. Bring your A-game and be on high alert when driving in winter as the chances of being on the road at the same time as kangaroos are much higher.
When droughts kick in, kangaroos are on the hunt for any decent puddles, grass or vegetation. Roadside kerbs lined with vegetation and grass that livestock can’t reach becomes prime feeding ground when the plains and forests start drying up. If it’s looking dry out stay alert for roadside grazing and unpredictable hops across the road.
Kangaroos like to roll with their mob, so if you see one there’s often others. They might not have all 50 of their crew in tow but if there’s a ‘roo bounding along the road, his buddies could be close behind. Keeping your speed down can help you spot them and avoid any issues.
Kangaroos might have their mob, but us humans often have backup support too – if you’ve got pals in the car, get them onto the job. If it’s not a solo mission, whoever’s called shotgun also gets to be on kangaroo watch. Get your co-pilot (or back-seat drivers) to help you keep an eye out for any animals and keep track of any unpredictable kangaroo direction changes.
Seasoned drivers know that keeping it slow is the way to go. If you do have to avoid an animal on the road, most states’ transport departments advise staying straight and hitting the brakes rather than swerving. Swerving often ends up creating an even more serious accident if you veer off the road or into surrounding vehicles. Keep it slow and cruisey to sidestep the risk all together.
If you do have to drive at night in a kangaroo hotspot, you’ll want to use your high beams to see what’s on the road ahead. Spot a kangaroo? High beams off and a few honks on the horn to try get the kangaroo off the road. Leaving your high beams on can equal a stunned ‘roo, blinded by your lights. Not ideal. If you do have to pull over when it’s dark, flicking your hazard lights on will help let other drivers know to keep clear.
We all love a bit of kangaroo chat, so you don’t need to search too far to find forums or news updates on where kangaroo accidents have been taking place. Some states’ transport or environment departments will give you a list of hot spots for vehicle collisions with kangaroos – ACT even calls out its exceptional hot spots for accidents. Whether you’re headed for a weekend in the outback or along the coast, the chances of encountering a roo on the road are much higher in more rural areas.
If despite your best efforts an accident with a kangaroo does happen here are a few things you can do:
Our favourite marsupial can make driving on country road trips a little trickier, but they’re also what makes driving in regional Australia a unique experience. Enjoy your trip, share the road carefully and chances are you and skippy will get to your destination in one piece.
Starts at 60 can refer you to our Australian insurance partner Huddle, who offer award-winning, customisable car insurance.
You can choose Kanga Cover with Huddle’s Comprehensive Car Insurance. This optional add-on means Huddle will waive the excess on your first animal collision claim within a 12 month period. Not just for roos.
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With award-winning, customisable insurance plans and over 100,000 policies sold, Huddle has over 6,000 customer reviews rated ‘Excellent’.
Their Comprehensive Car Insurance also offers 24/7 emergency assistance, Australia-based support and 24/7 online policy management.
And for those who don’t drive as much as they used to, Huddle’s Pay As You Drive Cover could help you save up to 30% compared to their regular Comprehensive Cover. 1
This blog was originally published by Huddle Insurance under the title Kangaroos and Australian roads: 8 ways to stay safe and avoid Kangaroo car accidents.
We hope you found this article useful. It’s important to remember that there are terms and conditions to consider when selecting what optional extras cover you’d like. Make sure you take the time to get across these so you know what happens if things were to go wrong.
1 Saving of up to 30% derived from premium comparisons between Huddle unlimited kilometre comprehensive car cover option and Huddle Pay As You Drive comprehensive car cover option. Calculations based on a sample of profiles of existing Huddle car insurance customers who advised they drive under 15,000 km annually. Current as at 9 May 2024. Actual savings are determined by your individual circumstances, including the kilometres selected, excess chosen and other risk factors. Minimum premiums may reduce savings. Kilometres can be increased during the policy period, an additional premium is payable. In the event of an accident and the end odometer reading is exceeded or is below the start odometer reading on your Certificate of Insurance, an additional excess is applied.