Kangaroos top crash list

Statistics compiled by an insurance company have found a 14 per cent rise in animal-related collisions on WA roads last year, with Albany, Denmark and Mt Barker among the top-10 hotspots.

Kangaroos are the most likely animal to be involved in a road accident, with the number of collisions peaking in July, according to the SGIO report.

In 2012, 21 animal-related accidents were reported on Albany roads, the seventh-highestin the State, closely followed by Denmark at number nine with 18 reports, and Mt Barker rounding out the top 10 with 17 collisions.

Local man Rami Mustafa recently had his Mazda 6 completely written off after hitting a kangaroo while driving to Albany.

“On Sunday, July 7, I hit a kangaroo about 10km out of Williams,” he said.

“It was 6pm, right on dusk, and I was travelling at 110km/h when it hopped in front of the car. I hit it, it went under the car and I was momentarily frozen and just kept driving for another kilometre before I fully realised what had happened and pulled over.”

Mr Mustafa’s vehicle sustained serious damage and was towed to Narrogin.

“It is a total write-off, about $7000 to fix but I’m so lucky nothing else happened,” he said.