Have you ever had a run in with an animal on the road that was too close for comfort?

It may not come as a surprise but hundreds of thousands of animals are killed each year after being hit by motor vehicles on Australian roads. For many drivers, their deaths are sad and unfortunate. The good news is that there are many ways we can help save lives and avoid animal collisions.

Sonic animal guards might just be the savour to evade accidents with animals. If you’ve never even heard of these gadgets, they emit high frequency sound waves to alert animals that a vehicle is oncoming and help to repel them. These simple to fit and inexpensive devices cost between $5 to $25 and are easily mounted by strong double-sided tape.

And if you like to ride with your pet, don’t sweat it. They don’t affect animals inside your car because the frequency noise emanates outwards, to the sides and to front of where it’s positioned on your vehicle.

Although it’s not certain these sonic animal guards can guarantee an accident with an animal will be avoided, they can certainly help aid and reduce the likelihood of an animal strike with your motor vehicle.

Keep in mind these should only be used as an extra precaution and are not guaranteed to stop animals from heading towards your vehicle. Sometimes, even when taking precaution, accidents can still happen. So be sure to attain adequate Car Insurance so you have the peace of mind you deserve while you’re driving behind the wheel.

How you can help reduce animal death tolls on our roads

1. It might seem simple enough but never ever litter or throw rubbish onto the roads. Not only is it illegal but it’s also bad for our environment and doing so can attract wildlife to our roads.
2. If you can, avoid driving during dawn, dusk or night-time. This is because many species of wildlife are most active during these times, mostly kangaroos and wallabies, and the lack of light makes it more difficult to spot them. If you can’t avoid driving during these high-risk times, please be cautious and take it easy around bends and corners.
3. It may seem obvious but give yourself and wild animals the best chance of seeing one another on the road before it’s too late by using your high beam lights.
4. Reduce your speed inside sign posted wildlife areas.
5. If you see an animal on or near the road, you should try and brake, but not swerve, to avoid a collision.

What to do if you hit an animal

If you hit an animal and safety permits, try to help by moving it to the side of the road to prevent further accidents and then contact a local veterinarian or wildlife rescue centre, such as the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES), on 1300 094 737.

What to do if you spot an animal on or on the side of the road

Call for help: If you spot an animal on or on the side of the road call for help by phoning wildlife rescue groups in that area. Note that if there is a visible cross or painted mark near the animal it means that they’ve already been checked and there is no need to call for help or stop and check them.

Stop and check: If it’s safe to do so, carefully pull over and check to see if the animal is alive. If it’s alive be cautious because it could be in shock. When it comes to marsupials like kangaroos, a baby joey can incredibly live in its mother’s pouch for days even after she has died. So be sure to check its pouch because you might just save a furry life.

Safely move it to the side of the road: Carefully move the animal to the side of the road out of the way of any incoming traffic. Doing this will also avoid scavenger animals from feeding on the corps in the middle of the road and could prevent an accident from happening. When it comes to moving a turtle, be sure to move it in the direction it’s facing, as it’ll be heading towards a water source. It’s also wise to hold it away from you because they tend to urinate as a defence mechanism.

By staying informed on what to do and how to prevent the chances of colliding with animals on the road, we can all help lessen roadkill numbers. Let’s all make a difference by playing our part in keeping ourselves, our wildlife and our roads as safe as possible.