The Dubbo motorist was yesterday still without her regular vehicle and counting the cost of the run-in with the boomer.

New figures from NRMA Insurance showed Mrs Hill was actually living at a hotspot for animal collisions.

Dubbo topped the state in the category, recording 123 incidents.

The insurer found animal-related collisions had risen 12 per cent since the previous year and kangaroos topped the list as the animal most likely to be involved in a road accident.

Mrs Hill’s crash had all the typical factors.

She had been heading to work at Wellington on the Peachville Road at 6.30am on a mid-winter’s morning.

“I was driving along and there he was on my bonnet,” she said.

“He was a big one, I thought he was going to come through the windscreen.”

The tow truck was called and a week later her car was still in for repairs.

“I have insurance, but it’s still costly, I have to pay the excess,” she said.

The family also had the inconvenience of trying to juggle children and work with just one car.

NRMA Insurance Head of Research Robert McDonald said kangaroo collisions on country roads were a significant problem that peaked during winter.

“At this time of year, many kangaroos are active on our roads,” Mr McDonald said.

“They are often looking for food at sunrise and sunset and it’s during this time that an increased number of collisions occur.”

There was more than double the number of animal related collisions in NSW than any other state.

Mr McDonald said that although most animal collisions occurred on country roads, city drivers should also be mindful when dogs and cats were near cars.

“We want to urge all drivers to be aware when at the wheel,” he said.

“How you react when you see a kangaroo on the road can potentially save lives.

“If you hit a kangaroo and it is critically injured, you can call your local wildlife group, Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) or the Police.”

Mudgee was second on the hotspots list with 112 animal collisions.