A rental-car driver on a South Korean expressway was forced to pull over after a snake unexpectedly emerged from behind the vehicle's steering wheel.
Here's what to know
According to JKN, the discovery came around 6:30 p.m., when the snake appeared from a gap between the instrument panel and steering wheel. The rental car was traveling south near Yangjae Interchange on the Gyeongbu Expressway.
The driver immediately called for emergency assistance, and fire personnel were dispatched to the scene, where they successfully removed the snake without incident, JKN reported. The driver, identified only as A, reportedly suffered no bites or other injuries. The snake was culled after being captured.
Having a snake suddenly emerge from a vehicle's dashboard while driving on the expressway would shock anyone. In this instance, however, the driver managed to stay calm long enough to safely move to the side of the road and stop the vehicle.
In doing so, the driver followed the safety advice shared by JKN, which included avoiding sudden braking or steering if an unexpected hazard appeared inside a moving vehicle. The publication recommended checking surrounding traffic and stopping in a safe place before reporting the situation to authorities.
Importantly, the driver also left the animal for emergency responders, avoiding the need to handle the snake themselves.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Human-wildlife encounters
The situation represented another instance of human-wildlife encounters. As human development has increasingly encroached on wild habitat, interactions between people and wild animals have become more prevalent. While most of these meetings pass without incident, they can still pose a risk to people, pets, and wild animals.
Although human-wildlife encounters have become more frequent, they remain relatively rare, and incidents of animals attacking humans are even less common.
"There is a lot of attention around these attacks, but in reality the number of attacks is very low," said Vincenzo Penteriani of the Spanish National Research Council, according to the BBC.
To remain safe, people should keep themselves, their children, and their pets as far away from wildlife as possible.
Where can I learn more?
Drivers from India to Australia have also found snakes inside their vehicles. These stories describe dashboard sightings, hidden snakes, and efforts to remove them safely.
• In India, a woman spotted a cobra on her dashboard while driving on an elevated road.
• In Thailand, a driver called firefighters after finding a 4-meter snake hiding inside his pickup.
• In Texas, a ratsnake crawled out of a driver's car after a 20-minute trip.
• In Wyoming, police sought dealership help after a 3-foot bull snake entered a woman's car.
• In Australia, a driver opened the glove compartment and found a python staring back.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
