A speeding central Queensland driver has told of his relief at being pulled over by police on a major road – because he was trying to fight off a deadly eastern brown snake at the time.

The 27-year-old Gladstone man, identified only as Jimmy, said he was driving at the speed limit on the Dawson Highway west of Calliope about 5pm on June 15 when he felt something wrap around his legs.

“I’m driving along at 100, and I just started to brake,” Jimmy said.

“The more I moved my legs … it just started to wrap around me. Its head just started striking at the [driver’s seat] chair, between my legs.”

Jimmy used his seatbelt and a work knife to fight off the snake off while trying to stop the car.

Fearing he had already been bitten by the snake, one of the deadliest in the world, Jimmy felt his only option was to kill it and head for a hospital – as fast as he could.

That’s where Queensland Police come in because, not long after that, a local officer spotted Jimmy’s ute travelling at 123km/h and quickly intercepted it.

The experienced officer had already heard his fair share of excuses for speeding but he soon realised this was more than the usual, and organised medical help for the distressed driver.

Paramedics arrived and quickly assessed that Jimmy hadn’t been bitten, although he was certainly in shock.

“It was pretty terrifying, I’ve never been so happy to see red and blue lights,” Jimmy said.