Latest news with #roadhazard
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Yahoo
Caravan photos highlight 'little-noticed' threat on Aussie roads as drivers warned
Travellers hitting the road in the Australian outback have been reminded about some of the less expected hazards they can encounter in remote parts of the country. One "shocked" caravan owner found that out the hard way after a fatal collision led to some costly recent repairs. His van is currently in the workshop in Western Australia as tradies put the finishing touches on repairs after he collided with a camel in northern parts of the state recently. And it's not as uncommon as it might sound. "You don't get surprised when people say it," a worker at RV Solutions, the caravan repair shop south of Perth, told Yahoo News about customers coming in following such accidents. The business has had a repair job from a camel as well as an emu collision this year. "Everyone drives back from up north where there are big, long roads with lots of wildlife around," the worker said. "The guy was pretty shocked," she added. "I asked if the camel was OK, and no, the camel was not OK." The company shared pictures on social media over the weekend showing other drivers what it looks like "when a caravan meets a camel". In this case, the vehicle being towed needed its front end to be rebuilt, the company said. Related: Caravan repairer warns over 'common' door locking trick Because they occupy an area far away from most Australian cities, feral camels are an often forgotten piece of Australia's invasive species problem. Earlier this year, one traveller doing a lap around the country shared his surprise when he came across five dead camels on the side of the road while driving along the Eyre Highway near Eucla. "You don't normally see something like that," the Melbourne man told Yahoo News in May. The same road was closed in both directions back in 2021 when a road train collided with two camels, causing it to jack-knife and block the highway in an incident which killed both camels. 🛣️ Warning over caravan trend as 'cowboy' players face growing scrutiny 😱 Tourists stunned by 'unlikely' camel sight on Aussie beach 🐫 Footprints at camping spot highlight Australia's rarely seen feral issue 'Little-noticed' feral camels cause millions of dollars in damage in Australia Camels were first brought to the area of Eucla in 1838 to help explore central Australia. They played an essential role in transporting supplies through the harsh terrain and were later used in Western Australia during the gold rush. Camels are highly mobile and can forage over 70km a day in groups that can include hundreds. While most females only give birth to one calf every couple of years, they can live up to 50 years and have very few threats in Australia other than human interaction. The species is well-suited to the outback environment, and as a result, Australia is home to the largest wild population of Arabian camels in the world, according to Pest Smart. "The Australian environment didn't evolve to cope with camels, and they cause enormous damage to desert ecosystems," Dr Carol Booth from the Invasive Species Council of Australia told Yahoo News recently. "Because they are in remote areas, the damage is very little noticed and not given a lot of attention." In 2009, it was estimated by researchers at the CSIRO that the annual economic cost of camels was about $11 million a year. According to the Northern Territory government, when left unchecked camel populations can double every eight to 10 years, so arguably the cost has continued to grow.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Man Dies After His Car Hit a Moose Near Alaska's Denali National Park
'The collision serves as a sobering reminder of the hazards of wildlife along Alaska's roadways,' the National Park Service saidNEED TO KNOW A driver in Alaska died on Aug. 1 after his car hit a moose near the entrance of Denali National Park and Preserve The driver, a 24-year-old man from Bulgaria, was pronounced dead at the scene, and his 24-year-old female passenger from North Macedonia was taken to a hospital in Fairbanks "The collision serves as a sobering reminder of the hazards of wildlife along Alaska's roadways," the National Park Service saidA driver in Alaska died and his passenger was injured after his car hit a moose near the entrance of Denali National Park and Preserve. The collision occurred at around 1 a.m. local time on Friday, Aug. 1, just south of the park's entrance on Denali Park Road near Mile 235 of the George Parks Highway, also known as the Parks Highway, according to reports from CNN, the Anchorage Daily News and CBS News. The National Park Service told the outlets that a 24-year-old man from Bulgaria was driving at the time of the accident, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. A 24-year-old female passenger from North Macedonia was taken to a hospital in Fairbanks, about 120 miles away. "The collision serves as a sobering reminder of the hazards of wildlife along Alaska's roadways," the park said in a statement. "Moose, caribou, and other large animals are often active at dawn, dusk, and nighttime hours, and can be difficult to see." The National Park Service also said that it is working with the Bulgarian Embassy to notify the driver's next of kin, and then he will be identified. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In its statement, the park also asked drivers in the area to reduce their speed in dark conditions and to use high-beam headlights whenever possible. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that more than 800 vehicle accidents are caused by moose collisions each year, and moose often don't survive collisions with cars. Although vegetation can attract moose year-round, the department also reports that most collisions take place in the winter months. The Department of Fish and Game urges anyone driving through "moose country" to take a number of precautions to stay safe, including slowing down, particularly in poor weather conditions and at night, keeping windows and headlights clean for the best visibility possible, and to look for more moose if you spot one, as cows often have calves nearby. The agency also warned drivers to stay alert by scanning the sides of roads for wildlife, keeping a large distance in between vehicles, looking up local moose 'hot spots' — or "local places where moose often cross the road" — and to use hazard lights while driving to warn other drivers about moose. Read the original article on People
RNZ News
16-07-2025
- Climate
- RNZ News
Freezing fog and black ice on South Island's State Highways 8 and 80
Fog on State Highway 8 presents a risk for motorists, NZTA says. Photo: Supplied / NZTA Drivers in the central South Island are being warned to be aware of freezing fog and black ice over the next few days. The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said persistent freezing fog was likely for parts of State Highways 8 and 80 at least through until Sunday, along with hoar frosts and potential black ice on the roads. The area between Twizel and Tekapo on State Highway 8 was expected to be at especially high risk. NZTA maintenance contract manager Chris Chambers said fog was likely to linger all day in some places. "These types of conditions are not new for roads in the Mackenzie Basin area, but it is important that motorists take notice and adjust their driving for the conditions . Especially when there is an increased risk like this over a number of days," he said. "We are expecting the freezing fog to hang around all day in places and there is a significant risk of black ice, especially in the mornings. All of this means increased risk of accidents and injury. It's important that drivers take extra care and slow down in these conditions, increase their following distances and drive with their lights on." Roading contractors would be out checking roads and gritting or de-icing the affected highways over the coming days, he said. However, he advised people to avoid travelling if possible. "We have the option of closing sections of highway, or introducing restrictions, if the conditions warrant it. Our preference is to keep the roads open, and motorists can help us do that by driving with caution or staying off the roads if they can." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Immobile home: WVDOT gives owner time to move structure from side of road
Jun. 10—MORGANTOWN — For the past several weeks, a mobile home has sat unattended alongside the intersection of Grafton Road and Scott Avenue, causing a potential road hazard to motorists traveling along those roads. However this isn't the first time this house has been a roadside unattractive. Before it wound up in its current location, it had been left for weeks along the Kingwood Pike near the Interstate 68 overpass. The West Virginia Department of Transportation has been in contact with the owner of the home and has given the owner time to get the home moved from next to the roadway, according to spokesman Brent Walker. "We are in contact with the owner, and we're working with them trying to give them a little bit more time to make arrangements to move the mobile home, " Walker said. "We are just trying to give him a little bit more time before it'll have to be moved by us." Walker added several groups have been in contact with the owner of the home to try and get it moved from its current position. "It takes a special permit " to move it, he said. "We're not able to just get in there and lift it. It's the owner's responsibility, so we're just working with him and letting him know that he has a little bit more time." Walker added he would like to have the home moved sooner rather than later, but no specific timeframe has been given yet.
CTV News
03-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Moose found dead on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa's east end
Ontario Provincial Police say a moose was reported dead on Highway 417 near Walkley Road just before 6 a.m. Tuesday. (Ministry of Transportation cameras/website) Ontario Provincial Police are urging motorists to be on the lookout for moose and other wildlife along highways, after a moose was found dead on Highway 417 in Ottawa's east end. Police tell CTV News Ottawa a dead moose was reported in the westbound lanes of Hwy. 417 near Walkley Road around 6 a.m. Tuesday. Crews from the Ministry of Transportation attended the scene to remove the moose from the highway. OPP Const. Michael Fathi said it appears the moose was struck by a large truck on the highway. Fathi adds there was no vehicle at the scene when officers arrived and no one has reported that it struck the moose. In a social media post, police said moose have been seen in Ottawa as recently as this week, and along Highway 401. 'Moose are a significant road hazard, especially around dawn and dusk. Collisions with a moose can be deadly—for both drivers and the animal,' the OPP said on X. 'Wildlife-crossing signs mark proven danger zones, but moose can walk onto the road virtually anywhere in eastern Ontario. Slow down in known moose territory and keep your eyes on the road and the ditches ahead.'
