As wildlife become more active during spring, kangaroos begin their breeding season.

Chris Miller, the Department of Transport senior spokesman, said motorists need to be aware of an increasing number of kangaroos bounding across roads.

"At this is the time of year we all need to be aware of kangaroos, with extra caution required when driving around dawn and dusk," he said.

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"Kangaroos are unpredictable and can cause serious injuries if struck.

"Slow down, particularly when you see the yellow animal warning signs on the roadside."

Boyd's Body Works manager David Lovell said he is starting to see a jump in kangaroo-related collisions.

"Things are starting to pick up now; we're seeing up to five crashes a week," he said.

"One job we did this week involved a mob of about 15 kangaroos, so the driver was lucky to escape without any serious injuries.

"As the weather warms up and the hilly areas dry up, kangaroos move to the roads, where the grass is greener due to the water run-off."

In 2019, the number of vehicle collisions involving kangaroos peaked in October, and the trend looks set to continue this year due to increased rainfall across the state.

Colliding with an animal as large as a kangaroo can not only damage a vehicle but can also cause serious injury to motorists and passengers.

Last year, 21% of collisions on Victorian roads involving kangaroos resulted in serious injury to occupants.

Swerving violently to avoid an animal on the roadway can result in a loss of vehicle control or serious collisions with oncoming traffic.

Any actions taken to avoid hitting wildlife should be done safely, by steering straight and applying the brakes in a controlled manner.

While it is sad, a collision with an animal is a preferable outcome to that of a crash that may result in injury or death to humans.

Motorists who encounter injured wildlife should contact Wildlife Victoria on 8400 7300.

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