Woman discovers deadly tiger snake crawling up her leg while driving

A woman in Australia is recovering from the shock of discovering a deadly snake in her car while driving on the highway.

Authorities arrived to assist the woman after receiving reports that she was “attempting to stop passing vehicles” while walking barefoot on the Monash Freeway at around 10:40 a.m. local time on Saturday, November 30 Melbourne was running, Victoria Police said in a statement.

The unidentified woman told police that she was driving 50 miles per hour on the highway when she “felt something on her foot” before looking down “to find a deadly tiger snake slithering up her leg.” “, says the statement.

According to police, the woman “amazingly” managed to fend off the snake while driving and avoid traffic “before stopping and jumping out of her car to safety.”

The woman was left “in a state of shock,” police said. They added that she was subsequently checked by paramedics for bites, which she did not appear to have.

Tim Nanninga from Melbourne Snake Control was called in to handle the snake. He identified the reptile as the tiger snake, which is said to be the third most venomous snake in Australia Australian Geographic.

“Bites are fatal if untreated and cause pain in the feet and neck, tingling, numbness and sweating, followed by difficulty breathing and paralysis,” the release said Australian Geographic. “The poison also damages the blood and muscles and leads to kidney failure.”

The tiger snake is also responsible for the second highest number of bites per year in the country Australian GeographicAccording to the Rainforest Trust, it is the fifth most venomous snake in the world.

“(It’s) a miracle how she got off the road, parked the car safely and called (Victoria Police),” Nanninga told CNN affiliate 9 News.

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“When snakes are in cars, they usually find a really nice little hiding spot that they can stay in for days without coming out, but we were lucky that the snake went all the way to the back of the car,” he explained, according to ABC 17.

Passing motorists were “stunned” when Nanninga safely removed the tiger snake from the woman’s vehicle, police said.

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According to 9 News, Nanninga urged everyone to “stay calm and keep their distance” if anyone encounters a tiger snake.

“They’re not going to come after you, they’re not out there to hurt you,” he added.