Victorian motorists are colliding with kangaroos almost 20 times a day, with new RACV Insurance data revealing the accidents are becoming increasingly costly and more likely to result in vehicles being written off.
RACV members lodged almost 31,000 kangaroo-related collision claims between January 2021 and June 2026, with claims reaching a peak of 7,232 during 2025.
The financial impact has also increased significantly. The average kangaroo collision claim reached almost $9,000 in 2025, a 48 per cent increase compared with 2021.
More significantly for the collision repair industry, one in six kangaroo collision claims resulted in a vehicle being written off during 2025, compared with one in nine four years earlier.
RACV general manager insurance and roadside Bill Bloodworth said Melbourne’s expanding outer suburbs were contributing to the problem as bush and farmland was converted into housing.
“A lot of people assume this is only a rural-road issue. As our outer suburbs grow, more cars are sharing the road with more kangaroos, and the result is more collisions, more written-off vehicles and bigger repair bills for everyday Victorians,” Bloodworth said.
Sunbury recorded the most kangaroo collision claims among RACV members between January 2021 and June 2026, with 281, followed by Wallan with 232, Heathcote with 230, Benalla with 226 and Gisborne with 209.
Craigieburn, Bendigo, Doreen, Woodend and Castlemaine completed the top 10.
Some of the fastest increases occurred on Melbourne’s fringe. Between 2021 and 2025, claims in Kilmore increased 193 per cent, Mickleham rose 169 per cent and Wallan increased 112 per cent. Gisborne recorded a 93 per cent rise.
RACV said kangaroo-related claims were more than 20 per cent higher between April and August than during the remainder of the year, while dawn and dusk presented the greatest risks.
Motorists are being advised to reduce speed in wildlife areas, scan roadsides for movement and avoid swerving if a collision becomes unavoidable.
Bloodworth said drivers involved in a kangaroo collision should pull over safely, activate hazard lights and check passengers before contacting emergency or wildlife services where necessary.