Police have warned arachnophobic drivers to take extra precautions after a woman crashed her car upon seeing a spider.
In a Facebook post, police from Cairo, New York, said the unidentified woman “panicked and crashed” after spotting the spider in the front seat.
“After investigating today’s crash on Silver Spur Road we feel it is necessary to bring up a contributing factor that is not covered too often,” police said. “We know that it is easier for some drivers than others but PLEASE, try to teach new drivers and yourselves to overcome the fear and pull over to a safe place.
“Lives depend on it.”
The police department shared a photo of the crash alongside the warning, which shows a mangled car driven off the road.
According to police, the woman suffered a leg injury as a result of her fear.
The police department’s safety reminder prompted other drivers to share their own experiences finding spiders or other bugs in their cars - and their own fears of the insects.
“For safety measures should probably burn the car too. Just to make sure it’s really dead,” one person wrote.
Phobias affect roughly 10 per cent of people in the US, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
