A woman had the shock of her life when she found a venomous tiger snake coiled beneath the steering wheel as she drove on a busy road.
According to local media outlets, authorities were alerted and dispatched to the Monash Freeway in Melbourne, Australia after the barefoot woman driver was attempting to flag down passing vehicles.
Upon arrival, the woman informed the police that while driving, she felt something on her foot, and upon inspection, discovered a snake “slithering up her leg.”
The snake was later confirmed to be a tiger snake, recognised as one of the most venomous and dangerous globally, which had coiled itself beneath the steering wheel of her vehicle.
“Remarkably, she managed to fend off the reptile and navigate through traffic before safely pulling over and exiting her car,” stated the Victoria Police.
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Paramedics were summoned to ensure the woman had not sustained any bites, and fortunately, a spokesperson for Ambulance Victoria reported that she was unharmed, and no puncture wounds were found.
“Tim from Melbourne Snake Control was contacted, promptly identified the tiger snake (the fourth most venomous snake in the world), and offered his assistance,” the police noted.
“Motorists passing by were left astonished as the large snake was safely extracted from the vehicle,” a police spokesperson remarked.
“This incident concluded one of the more peculiar welfare checks you are likely to hear about,” the spokesperson added.
The rescue team mentioned that the woman had travelled from southwest Victoria, where it is believed the snake had entered her car and subsequently coiled under the steering wheel.
The reptile has been taken to a reptile veterinarian for a parasite check and was cleared for release into a local catchment area deemed a “safe location away from people and pets.”
