Climate change is affecting just about every aspect of life these days, and it’s now causing higher road-kill rates as the drought pushes animals closer to roads.

The cost of claims involving animal-vehicle collisions rose 50% on the previous year to reach $15.3 million for 2006, according to AAMI national claims data.

The average repair cost for a car is $2330 in Victoria, $2700 in NSW/ACT, $2100 in Queensland, $2170 in SA, $1160 in Tasmania and $2470 in the NT.

The national incidence rate (claims per 100 policies) of animal-vehicle collisions involving AAMI customers has also increased about 25%.

AAMI spokesman Geoff Hughes says as warm and dry conditions persist across Australia, more animals are moving about to find water or food and are coming into contact with vehicles. “Six in 10 Australian drivers have had the unpleasant and frightening experience of colliding with a native or domestic animal – an experience most common in Tasmania (74%) and least common in NSW (52%).”

The survey shows 38% of Australian drivers who have collided with an animal hit a kangaroo or wallaby and 31% have hit a bird.