Overview
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This case study looks at reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions through temporary roadside signage on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Australia. Sunshine Coast Council installed signs at 22 high-risk locations, featuring local macropod species and emotive messages. The evaluation assessed whether the signage raised driver awareness and encouraged safer driving.
Abstract #
Wildlife-vehicle collisions are a persistent issue on Australian roads, particularly where routes cross native habitat. These collisions frequently affect macropods such as kangaroos and wallabies. Australian Associated Motor Insurers (2022) estimates average insurance claims of $5,500–$6,400, with 14% of vehicles written off.
Between November 2024 and January 2025, Sunshine Coast Council placed temporary signs at 22 known collision hotspots. Signs showed images of local macropod species and emotive messages such as “We live here too” and “Keep us safe”, alongside calls to action like “Slow Down”. This supported the Council’s Macropod Conservation Plan (2023).
The evaluation used mixed methods. Researchers measured vehicle speeds before and after the signage at three road types. A community survey of 523 people gathered data on recall, attitudes, and self-reported behaviour, analysed using SPSS and thematic coding.
Results showed 89.3% of respondents recalled wildlife signage, and 59.1% recalled the temporary signs. Of these, 76.7% reported behavioural changes, mainly slowing down or increased vigilance. The most recognised message was “Wildlife & vehicle crash zone; we live here too” (67.3%). Most respondents (85.9%) identified dusk and dawn as high-risk, and 83.6% reported already reducing speed during these times. While no pre-survey data were collected, these findings suggest the signage helped reinforce existing knowledge and prompted reflective behaviour. Speed data showed a modest reduction at one peri-urban site (−0.42 km/h), with minimal change elsewhere, where speeds were already below posted limits.
Recommendations for future interventions include improving sign visibility during dawn and dusk, trialling dynamic formats like Variable Message Signs (VMS), and extending messaging through digital platforms to reinforce exposure.
Access
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Tori Seydel (t.seydel@griffith.edu.au), Griffith University
Sunshine Coast Council. (2023). Sunshine Coast Macropod Conservation Plan 2023. https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/environment/native-animals/macropods
Location #
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
Key words #
Wildlife-vehicle collisions, macropods, road safety, driver awareness, conservation, WSMC conference 2025
