In brief
The incident highlights the unexpected dangers that can occur even during routine travel on busy roads.
A driver faced an alarming surprise on a Melbourne motorway when she discovered a deadly tiger snake coiling up her leg as she traveled at 80 km/h on the Monash freeway. The woman, visibly panicked and "acting hiss-terically," exited her car and frantically tried to signal help for her unexpected passenger. Victoria Police arrived at the scene to conduct a welfare check and noted that the driver had left one of her shoes behind in her haste to escape.As the situation unfolded, the drivers passing by were left astonished by the sight of the snake being removed from the vehicle. To ensure safety, Melbourne Snake Control was contacted to handle the potentially dangerous creature. Fortunately, police reported that the woman was ultimately taken to a hospital for a suspected snake bite but was recovering well, according to an update on social media from the snake control team.Remarkably, amid the chaos, she managed to fend off the snake and weave through the traffic to pull over before making her dramatic exit from the vehicle. Officers noted that the woman was understandably "rattled" and "in a state of shock." As the snake removal attracted attention, some passersby captured the unusual scene on their phones.In the aftermath, the snake was safely relocated to a natural habitat far away from human dwellings, as Tim Nanninga from Melbourne Snake Control confirmed. Tiger snakes, known for their potent venom, are native to Australia's coastal regions, highlighting the importance of snake awareness for locals and travelers alike.
