TRAVELLING from Millicent to Nangwarry has driven Dan Rogers hopping mad, having hit around 20 kangaroos over the last three months.
A serious safety concern for both him and his car-pooling workmates, Mr Rogers said he has had enough of the “pest”, calling for a cull or other management measures to deal with the overbearing population.
“I do not know if I am just unlucky or they can not hear me coming,” he said.
“I am just at the point now where if I hit it, I hit it.
“You can see them dusk till dawn, hanging on the side of the road ready to go.”
Mr Rogers singled out a five kilometre stretch on Nangwarry Road where he claims to see hundreds of kangaroos daily.
“We leave work at 5pm at night and they are already there on the side of the road,” he said.
“In the morning they are there until around 7am on our way to work.
“Over the two years I have had to travel for work, the numbers have definitely increased.”
Mr Rogers said the collisions with kangaroos had caused little damage to his utility, which is equipped with a steel bullbar.
“It does not bother me too much as I have just popped a few indicators out here and there,” he said.
“I have had to pay for a new headlight which was around $15 but that is it, but if I did not have my bullbar it would be in the thousands worth of damage.”
Mr Rogers recently witnessed the significant risk wildlife poses on the roadside after a car overtook his vehicle in the early hours of the morning.
“We thought they were silly to even think about it,” he said.
“He did not have a bullbar and when we came around the corner he had hit one and smashed his nice car up.
“They are definitely considered a pest within the South East.”
Mr Rogers said he has crashed into kangaroos during trips in Western Victoria.
“They just seem to be in clusters all year round,” he said.
“They will hang to the side of the road and will not even look up when they jump in front of you.
“Back on the day they would see a car and jump off.”
Mr Rogers said he supported a cull or pest control initiative in the region.
“I think something needs to be done sooner rather than later,” he said.
“Some of them are taller than your car and are buff, like they have gone to the gym or something.
“I have my mum driving to Penola for night shift and do not want her or some elderly to hit one.”
With concerns raised, Mr Rogers urged people to take caution on the road.
“We need to prevent this issue to lower the risk of an accident, which could potentially lead to serious injuries.”
