Study: Vehicle collisions with animals on the rise

Wildlife-related collisions on Australian roads have increased by 22 per cent in the last 12 months, according to national insurer AAMI, prompting it to urge drivers to pay more attention on the road – particularly in rural areas.

AAMI research shows that more than 40 per cent of Aussie drivers don’t pay attention to wildlife warning signs and that most drivers (around 60 per cent) would swerve or slam on the brakes to avoid colliding with an animal, which could put themselves and other drivers in danger.

It also highlighted vehicle-animal collision hotspots around the country, including the worst areas for each state and territory as well as the time you can expect more wildlife to be out and about, which is usually around dusk (between 4:30-8:00pm).

AAMI says your chances of colliding with wildlife are heightened in the cooler months, with almost 58 per cent of all animal collisions occurring between May and October.

And its study showed that Saturday is the worst day of the week for wildlife-related road accidents.  

In 2023, NSW was found to be the most dangerous state for wildlife collisions (30 per cent), followed by Victoria (29 per cent) and Queensland (24 per cent), according to an analysis of more than 21,000 animal collision-related vehicle insurance claims.

Dubbo in central NSW was found to be the worst hotspot for animal collisions in the country, with Sunbury (Victoria) and Goulburn (NSW) also listed as potential danger zones.

AAMI also found that one in 10 Aussies don’t know what they would do if they struck an animal in their vehicle, while more than half (54 per cent) said they’ve been involved in an animal collision, with most occurring on rural and regional roads.

Worst hotspots for animal collisions across Australia:

Key findings:

What does WIRES say?

According to Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) spokesperson Kristie Newton, habitat loss and extreme weather in Australia is increasingly seeing animals being displaced from their natural homes and forced into urban areas in search of food and shelter.

“Last year, the number one animal crash hotspot Dubbo lost 351ha of tree cover. Sadly, because of the increase of habitat loss and extreme weather, our wildlife are becoming more vulnerable to traffic, and collisions with vehicles are on the rise,” said Newton.

“Last year WIRES received more than 180,000 calls to our rescue line and assisted more than 130,000 native animals. A large portion of the wildlife in our care have come to us due to a vehicle collision, either being struck themselves or left orphaned after their mother was killed.

“It is important for drivers to be prepared when travelling, especially in regional and rural areas or in areas of large-scale development. By taking note of the following steps, you can protect both yourself and our native animals.”

WIRES tips:

1. Note wildlife wildlife signs; they are placed on specific roads known to intersect across wildlife territory

2. Understand the high-risk times for wildlife and be extra vigilant

3. Pack a rescue kit in your car – a simple cardboard box, towel and gloves are enough to save an animal's life

4. Safely stop and pouch check – many marsupial joeys survive vehicle collisions when in their mum’s protective pouch

Related: How to avoid hitting wildlife and what you should do if it occurs