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WILDLIFE WITNESSES: THE UNSEEN TOLL ON AUSTRALIAN ROADS
BRISBANE, QLD, AUSTRALIA, May 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Australia’s roads are shared with some special locals – from kangaroos and koalas to snakes and possums – and new research1 reveals 39% of Australians encounter wildlife while driving at least weekly.
According to a new survey conducted by Australian insurance provider Youi, nearly 1 in 3 (29%) of Aussies have had an incident with an animal on the road causing minor or significant damage to their vehicle. The number of near misses is even more alarming – nearly 4 in 10 (37%) have had a near miss with wildlife on the road.
Wildlife responses on the road
Almost half (47%) of Aussies say they feel confident they’d know what to do if an animal appeared on the road based on experience or education – with men feeling more confident than women (53% vs 40%).
In the moment, 82% of Aussies say they would reduce speed if they saw an animal on the road, followed by staying alert (69%) and braking or pulling over (47%). Concerningly, 18% say they would swerve.
Youi’s Head of Product – Vehicle and Leisure, Marni Jackson, said wild animals are always nearby whether it’s suburbia or bush, and unfortunately the risk of encountering wildlife on Australian roads is high.
“When driving through wildlife prone areas or times like dawn or dusk, always stay alert, obey speed limits and observe wildlife slow zones,” Marni said.
“If an animal appears on the road experts say to never swerve, as this may cause you to come into the path of an oncoming vehicle or collide with a fence or tree – resulting in a more severe crash,” she said.
Slowing down on poorly lit roads and using your horn or headlights to encourage wildlife to move off the road, is a safer way to deal with an animal encounter.
Wildlife watch and wariness
Queenslanders (47%), Western Australians (39%), and Victorians (36%) encounter wildlife on the road most frequently and therefore have the most record of collisions (28% among Queenslanders and 37% among Western Australians and Victorians, respectively) and near misses (40% and 41%). However, New South Walers (28%) and Victorians (27%) aren’t far behind in their record of collisions.
When it comes to which animals Aussies are most wary of seeing, 88% list kangaroos and wallabies as top of mind, followed by livestock (36%), domesticated animals, koalas and wombats (33%).
Kangaroos and wallabies remain top-of-mind for drivers across all states, generally cited by around nine in ten. Beyond these, distinct state-level concerns emerge with:
• Queenslanders more likely to watch for koalas (46%)
• New South Wales residents and wombats (41%)
• Victorians and deer (31%); and
• Western Australians with emus or cassowaries (28%).
While these patterns shape what animals drivers are most likely to watch for, actual wildlife collisions can often be far less clear-cut — 30% of Aussies who have made a claim suggest at least two possible animals they could have hit.2
“No matter where you’re driving or what animal you may come across, it’s important to be wary of all wildlife because different animals can be present in different areas and may behave differently,” Marni said.
“Know what wildlife you may encounter before hitting the road, especially driving in unfamiliar areas, by researching the area online and having local wildlife resources on hand,” she said.
Most Australians take action when faced with wildlife risk, but fewer plan ahead to reduce their exposure. While 77% say they slow down and become more cautious in wildlife-prone areas, only 37% plan trips to avoid higher-risk locations or times. Smaller shares take more structural precautions, with 20% installing vehicle modifications such as bull bars or lights, and 29% ensuring they have adequate insurance or roadside assistance.
The wildlife toll factors
With an estimated 10 million native animals killed each year3 – Aussies believe factors like increased rural traffic (43%) or seasonal changes (32%) are the cause for more animals on the road and in collisions.
But some Aussies put the onus on the drivers’ fault, with 61% saying driver inattention is a major cause for wildlife collisions, followed by people driving at unsafe times like night, dawn or dusk (40%).
The other portion of Aussies say road infrastructure is responsible for high roadkill rates, like high-speed roads through wildlife habitats (57%), lack of wildlife fencing or crossings (45%) and signage (30%).
These perceptions also differ with age, as Baby Boomers are more likely say drivers' habits like inattention (66%) and driving at unsafe times (58%) make up their top 3 causes, compared to Gen Z who list lack of wildlife fencing (53%) and high-speed roads through wildlife habitat (52%).
Regardless of reasons, wildlife on the road can’t be controlled but Aussie driving behaviour can be. Despite confidence levels in Aussies abilities to avoid wildlife collisions, it’s important to stay vigilant with insurance
Only 33% of Aussies say they know their insurance may cover wildlife collisions and almost half (46%) aren’t sure what they’re covered for. These gaps widen even further with 40% of men knowing they may be covered for wildlife collisions compared to only 26% of women. Meanwhile, half of Queenslanders (50%) are unsure of their coverage, the highest score for any state, despite encountering wildlife most often.
Taking steps to reduce the likelihood of a wildlife collision like staying alert, using lights and driving at safer times is one thing, but ensuring you’re covered for the unfortunate reality of driving on Australian roads is just as important.
ENDS
References available upon request
According to a new survey conducted by Australian insurance provider Youi, nearly 1 in 3 (29%) of Aussies have had an incident with an animal on the road causing minor or significant damage to their vehicle. The number of near misses is even more alarming – nearly 4 in 10 (37%) have had a near miss with wildlife on the road.
Wildlife responses on the road
Almost half (47%) of Aussies say they feel confident they’d know what to do if an animal appeared on the road based on experience or education – with men feeling more confident than women (53% vs 40%).
In the moment, 82% of Aussies say they would reduce speed if they saw an animal on the road, followed by staying alert (69%) and braking or pulling over (47%). Concerningly, 18% say they would swerve.
Youi’s Head of Product – Vehicle and Leisure, Marni Jackson, said wild animals are always nearby whether it’s suburbia or bush, and unfortunately the risk of encountering wildlife on Australian roads is high.
“When driving through wildlife prone areas or times like dawn or dusk, always stay alert, obey speed limits and observe wildlife slow zones,” Marni said.
“If an animal appears on the road experts say to never swerve, as this may cause you to come into the path of an oncoming vehicle or collide with a fence or tree – resulting in a more severe crash,” she said.
Slowing down on poorly lit roads and using your horn or headlights to encourage wildlife to move off the road, is a safer way to deal with an animal encounter.
Wildlife watch and wariness
Queenslanders (47%), Western Australians (39%), and Victorians (36%) encounter wildlife on the road most frequently and therefore have the most record of collisions (28% among Queenslanders and 37% among Western Australians and Victorians, respectively) and near misses (40% and 41%). However, New South Walers (28%) and Victorians (27%) aren’t far behind in their record of collisions.
When it comes to which animals Aussies are most wary of seeing, 88% list kangaroos and wallabies as top of mind, followed by livestock (36%), domesticated animals, koalas and wombats (33%).
Kangaroos and wallabies remain top-of-mind for drivers across all states, generally cited by around nine in ten. Beyond these, distinct state-level concerns emerge with:
• Queenslanders more likely to watch for koalas (46%)
• New South Wales residents and wombats (41%)
• Victorians and deer (31%); and
• Western Australians with emus or cassowaries (28%).
While these patterns shape what animals drivers are most likely to watch for, actual wildlife collisions can often be far less clear-cut — 30% of Aussies who have made a claim suggest at least two possible animals they could have hit.2
“No matter where you’re driving or what animal you may come across, it’s important to be wary of all wildlife because different animals can be present in different areas and may behave differently,” Marni said.
“Know what wildlife you may encounter before hitting the road, especially driving in unfamiliar areas, by researching the area online and having local wildlife resources on hand,” she said.
Most Australians take action when faced with wildlife risk, but fewer plan ahead to reduce their exposure. While 77% say they slow down and become more cautious in wildlife-prone areas, only 37% plan trips to avoid higher-risk locations or times. Smaller shares take more structural precautions, with 20% installing vehicle modifications such as bull bars or lights, and 29% ensuring they have adequate insurance or roadside assistance.
The wildlife toll factors
With an estimated 10 million native animals killed each year3 – Aussies believe factors like increased rural traffic (43%) or seasonal changes (32%) are the cause for more animals on the road and in collisions.
But some Aussies put the onus on the drivers’ fault, with 61% saying driver inattention is a major cause for wildlife collisions, followed by people driving at unsafe times like night, dawn or dusk (40%).
The other portion of Aussies say road infrastructure is responsible for high roadkill rates, like high-speed roads through wildlife habitats (57%), lack of wildlife fencing or crossings (45%) and signage (30%).
These perceptions also differ with age, as Baby Boomers are more likely say drivers' habits like inattention (66%) and driving at unsafe times (58%) make up their top 3 causes, compared to Gen Z who list lack of wildlife fencing (53%) and high-speed roads through wildlife habitat (52%).
Regardless of reasons, wildlife on the road can’t be controlled but Aussie driving behaviour can be. Despite confidence levels in Aussies abilities to avoid wildlife collisions, it’s important to stay vigilant with insurance
Only 33% of Aussies say they know their insurance may cover wildlife collisions and almost half (46%) aren’t sure what they’re covered for. These gaps widen even further with 40% of men knowing they may be covered for wildlife collisions compared to only 26% of women. Meanwhile, half of Queenslanders (50%) are unsure of their coverage, the highest score for any state, despite encountering wildlife most often.
Taking steps to reduce the likelihood of a wildlife collision like staying alert, using lights and driving at safer times is one thing, but ensuring you’re covered for the unfortunate reality of driving on Australian roads is just as important.
ENDS
References available upon request
Micayla Pretorius
Dentsu Creative PR
email us here
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