Driving safely through a locust swarm

It’s important to exercise caution when driving through a locust swarm. Locust swarms may reduce your ability to see the road and oncoming traffic and block your vehicle's radiator, causing overheating.

To prepare for your trip, you should:

• add some specially formulated insect cleaning agent to the windscreen washer system (available at larger supermarkets, auto accessory outlets and service stations)
• attach an insect screen (not green in colour) to your external radiator air-inlet for extra protection
• pack a bag with spare water and extra insect cleaning agent and cloths, rags and brush.

If you are driving:

• Slow down or stop if visibility reduces — gradually reduce your speed and if safe, continue driving or stop where it is safe to do so.
• If deciding to stop, turn off your engine — to avoid overheating.
• Monitor temperature gauge on your dashboard — dead locusts can reduce air flow to an engine and cause overheating.
• Turn on your headlights — to alert oncoming traffic of your presence.
• Be aware that traffic coming from the opposite direction will also have reduced visibility, so remain alert.
• Remain in your car until the swarm subsides.
• Use your windscreen wipers to clear locusts from your windscreen — well-fed locusts leave a residue of body parts and fat at the point of impact.
• When visibility improves, apply water and insect cleaning agent and use cloths or rags to remove locust residue from windscreen, wipers headlights and radiator air-inlet.