A DRIVER had a lucky escape after a kangaroo smashed through his windscreen and into the passenger seat, in Melbourne's east last night.

Paramedic Gary Becker said the 23-year-old man was quite distressed after the 120kg, 183cm grey kangaroo launched through his windscreen on Boronia Road, Wantirna about 6pm.

Mr Becker said a split second difference in impact could’ve seen the lone driver killed.

“I suspect that if the roo had hit a passenger or if there had been a micro-second difference and the roo had have come through and hit the driver, we would’ve been dealing with a potentially a very critically unwell patient, and it may well had have even killed someone if it had have hit them, yes,” Mr Becker said.

The man told paramedics that he was driving down Boronia Road when the kangaroo appeared suddenly in front of him, came straight across the road and into his windscreen.

He suffered only minor cuts and abrasions and only the windscreen of the car was damaged.

Mr Becker said that after treating the man, paramedics were surprised to see a large kangaroo sitting in the front seat.

“I think he was wondering what was happened and I’m not sure who was more shocked, us or him,” Mr Becker said.

The kangaroo was injured and was euthanased at the scene by wildlife officers.

Originally published as Driver stunned as roo leaps into car