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Road Rules and Traffic Regulations in Australia - Driving Nuances
1. When describing main distinguishing features of roads in Australia, it is simply impossible not to mention a large number of cars. For local residents, the car is the main means of transport, so almost every local resident, who has the driving license, drives every day.
2. Roads in Australia are divided into three categories: federal highways, state roads, and local roads. More than 30% of the country's roads are asphalted. However, there are also gravel and dirt roads, and some local routes are in such a bad condition that only a crossroad can move on them.
3. Not all regions of the country have a well-developed road network, and the complex landscape of the country is the main reason for that. The best roads in Australia are located in the eastern, south-eastern and south-western regions of the country.
4. Foreign drivers are permitted to drive in Australia only in case they have the international driving permit. It is also possible to use your local driving license, but in this case it must be translated to the local language and notarized.
5. In addition to the driving license, foreign drivers should always have a valid visa and a passport. The absence of these documents is considered a violation of the local traffic regulations.
6. Not all routes that pass through the deserted areas of the country are characterized by a rich choice of service areas and petrol stations. When going to a long trip, it's best to stock up on fuel, water and food, since the distance between nearest petrol stations and shops can sometimes be 150 km.
Nuances of Car Rental in Australia
To save on your rental, we advise to book your car in advance. You will save the most if you do this several weeks or even several months prior to your trip. Rental offices in Australia usually raise rental prices over time, based on the number of cars left available for the accounting period.
When looking for an exotic car (cabriolet, minivan or limousine), we advise to check in the rental offices located at airports, as they usually provide much wider choice comparing to offices in urban areas.
Upon receipt of invoices, bills and documents for your car at the rental location, please compare the obtained data with your voucher. Quite often, employees of rental offices in Australia try to add optional charges or services without informing customers.
It is very important to pick up your car at the rental office in Australia in a correct way. Prior to leaving the office, carefully inspect the car for various defects, and ensure that all the discovered defects are mentioned in your rental documents. In case of a non-compliance found, place a demand for correction to the rental officer.
You can always check our car actual rental offers in Australia. Simply use the search form at the top of the page. We guarantee that you will not find better prices anywhere else!
8. The cost of using a toll road is usually around 1.5 Australian dollars, and the fine for driving on a toll road for free is about $80. The entrances to all toll roads are equipped with cameras, so passing them unnoticed is simply impossible.
9. Left driving is another important feature of local roads. Drivers, who are accustomed to right driving, will find it difficult to drive during first several days, so it is recommended to be very careful.
10. According to the traffic regulations, all the passengers and the driver must fasten seat belts. Children, whose height is up to 135cm, can be transported in a car only in a special child seat, equipped with all the necessary fixings.
11. Each type of roads in Australia has its own speed limit. For example, in settlements, the maximum allowed speed is 60 km/h, and on country roads drivers are permitted to increase speed of up to 100 km/h. Finally, on highways the maximum allowed speed is 130 km/h.
12. Large animals are a serious danger to drivers as they often appear on the road. A chance to meet representatives of the local fauna is substantially increased if you are driving in a deserted road, so it is recommended to slow down.
13. Due to the fact that there are many cars in Australia, finding a free parking space is not easy, especially in the center of large cities. As a rule, there are always big paid parking lots near central parts of cities. There are also large paid parking areas close to some highways with heavy traffic.
14. Violations of traffic law usually result in very large fines. Some types of fines can be paid directly to the police, but police officers accept payments by credit cards only. Fines can also be paid in the bank.
15. The local police are distinguished by a very polite and restrained attitude to drivers. However, this does not mean that traffic violators will escape fines. In no case should drivers argue with the police and prove their innocence. In this case, the amount of the fine may increase significantly.
17. Quite often, the traffic police drive in the streets in ordinary cars with absolutely no markings. Even if it seems that there is no police nearby, it is not recommended to risk and break the rules as the patrol may be in any of the cars surrounding you.
18. In the streets, speed limits are controlled by radars, the presence of which is indicated with the help of special signs. As a rule, such signs are installed approximately one kilometer before the location of the radar.
19. There are special fotoradars next to many traffic lights. They make a photo of violators, who do not stop at the red light. Even if there are no cars or people on a pedestrian crossing, it is still important to stop at the red light.
20. In addition to monetary fines, certain traffic violations may result in suspension of the driving license. Some particularly severe violations may impose a sentence in the form of imprisonment. It is also worth considering that during holidays and weekends the size of fines and other penalties is usually doubled.
21. In different states, the size of fines for certain violations may vary significantly. Thus, the fine for exceeding the speed by 40 km/h can be from 500 to 2200 Australian dollars.
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