Imagine cruising down a busy freeway when you feel something on your foot. You try to justify it however possible…it’s a napkin, a fallen glove. But it keeps moving around. So, you look down, and it’s an actual snake slithering up your leg. What’s worse, it happens to be one of the deadliest serpents on the planet.

Drivers nearby thought an unwell woman having an “episode” hopped out of her car on Melbourne’s Monash Freeway in Victoria, Australia, last Saturday morning. But we’d be freaking out, too, if it happened to us.

The lady was traveling at about 50 mph when she spotted the venomous creature. Acting swiftly, she somehow managed to fend it off, navigate through traffic, and pull over safely. In shock and barefoot, she flagged down help.

Victoria Police arrived after receiving welfare calls from concerned drivers. Paramedics checked the woman to ensure she wasn’t bitten, while snake catcher Tim Nanninga of Melbourne Snake Control handled the unexpected passenger, the Syndey Morning Herald reported.

Nanninga located the serpent in the back of the car and safely removed it. “It’s a miracle how she got off the road safely,” he said. The snake was released into bushland.

Tiger snakes are among the world’s most venomous snakes.

Found mainly in southern Australia, including Victoria, they thrive in wetlands and grasslands. Their distinctive banding gives them their name, though not all tiger snakes have visible stripes. Highly venomous, their bites can cause severe illness or death if untreated.

These snakes are active during warmer months, hunting prey like frogs and small mammals. They often hide in hollow logs, under debris, or even in unexpected places…like cars.

A similar scare in the U.S.

While tiger snakes aren’t found in the U.S., rattlesnakes hold the title as the most dangerous in the country. The Eastern Diamondback is particularly venomous, delivering a potentially lethal dose of venom with a single bite.

A related incident involves an Amazon delivery driver in Palm City, Florida. In September 2023, the driver was bitten by an Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake while delivering a package. The snake, coiled near the door, struck the driver, leaving her in serious condition. She was hospitalized and treated for the venomous bite. Authorities captured the snake, which was later euthanized.

Encounters with venomous snakes are rare but alarming. In areas with snakes, keep car doors closed when parked and check for gaps snakes could enter. While these stories are terrifying, they remind us to stay calm under pressure…something the Melbourne driver did remarkably well.