Road warning in Aussie state as weather sparks deadly behaviour change
This stark figure marks a 44 per cent increase compared to two years earlier, with the state's recent dry weather conditions believed to be driving the animals closer to roads in search of food.
Recent photos emerging online show dozens of kangaroos in country South Australia on the road, with a driver snapping the shot as they were travelling between Sedan and Swan Reach, some 130 kilometres northeast of Adelaide.
RAA Senior Manager Safety and Infrastructure, Charles Mountain, warned drivers that kangaroos are notoriously unpredictable, meaning motorists should remain on high alert when travelling through their known habitat.
"There is a clear trend that kangaroo collisions are increasing across the state as more animals come towards busy roads in search of food. Kangaroos in particular are unpredictable creatures that can seemingly come out of nowhere and pose a significant safety risk," he said.
RAA data from the past three years has revealed several crash hotspots, with Mount Gambier topping the list at 64 claims, followed by Whyalla (57), Port Augusta (53), and Mount Compass (47). While 77 per cent of incidents occur in regional areas, a significant number also happen in outer metropolitan zones — a clear reminder that drivers across all regions need to stay alert.
RAA is urging drivers to brake safely when encountering wildlife and to use their horn where possible, but warns against swerving, which can result in more serious crashes. While kangaroo collisions are typically more common during autumn and spring, recent dry conditions have seen an increase in incidents throughout other times of the year.
Last month, footage showing a badly injured kangaroo, struck by a car and unable to move, sparked calls from conservationists to the public to slow down and pull over if they encounter an animal by the road in distress.
Charity group Southern Koala and Echidna Rescue shared a video of a kangaroo lying motionless on the side of a SA road, its body too badly injured to move except for its head. "This video shows how stressful fast cars are for this poor roo that was hit and left badly injured. Our team took this footage while waiting for further assistance to arrive," the group wrote online.
Speaking to Yahoo News, Mish from Southern Koala and Echidna Rescue urged Australians to contact wildlife groups immediately if they hit or come across an injured animal. "If your vehicle makes contact with an animal, please call local wildlife groups, even if the animal hops away or climbs a tree," she said.
Confronting dashcam footage from inside a truck cab recently shared by a heavy vehicle driving school highlights the brutal reality on remote Aussie roads and why drivers shouldn't swerve.
In the footage, a female truck driver is forced to make the split-second decision to "keep it straight" as kangaroos dash out in front of her vehicle.
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The clip was shared to "spark responsible discussion and learning" of best driving practices when wildlife jump out in front of moving vehicles. The footage shows a trainee truckie and her instructor travelling along an open road when an adult kangaroo hops out in front of her, narrowly missing a collision. Two joeys following, however, were not as lucky.
Michael Matta, the driving school's business director and lead trainer, told Yahoo News the reality is "heartbreaking" but this decision is best practice for road safety. "It's very bad to hit animals. Some of our drivers pull over and call wildlife services... but sometimes it's not practical or safe to stop," he said.
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