Australian Driving Culture

• By: Editor
• On: 17/Oct/2008
• In: Australia Travel Tips

When you are driving in Australia you will need a valid license that is written in English. If it isn’t written in English then you will need an International Drivers Permit to go along with your own license. Australia will recognise the license of most EU countries, the USA, Canada and Japan. Most other countries licenses are recognised for short periods.

Also please remember that seat belts are mandatory for all passengers of a car and if someone fails to wear theirs, the driver is culpable as well. The driver of the vehicle is not permitted to use a hand-held mobile telephone while driving.

Australian Motorists:
The average motorist you will find on the road in Australia is fairly easy going but there has been an increase in road rage in recent years. But any fair and patient driver should have little to worry about as they wouldn’t let it escalate that far.

The limit is 0.05 for an experienced driver (the limit is 0 for provisional and younger drivers); this limit is lower than the UK and Ireland but is similar to most of continental Europe. The police are entitled to give you a random breath test at any time so it best to err on the side of caution and simply not drink and drive at all.

The distances travelled in Australia may be very much longer than you are used to especially if you are from a smaller country like in Europe. Driver fatigue is one of the more common causes of crashes in Australia and even if you are not tired yourself you may need to be alert to other drivers who are sleepy at the wheel. So please remember that you should take a break every 2 hours on the road and if you have someone else who can drive, let them take a turn.

Another interesting feature of driving in Australia is you can occasionally come across a ‘Road Train’. These are 50 metre long trucks with about 4 trailers. These are much bigger than the usually articulated lorries than you are used to in your homeland. Be sure to keep out of their way as these can take a long, long time to stop in an emergency.

For other activity ideas during your trip to Australia check out our other Australia blogs. The best way to see Australia for yourself is through the freedom of a car so for the best car hire Australia options give us a go.

Just remember to enjoy your trip to Australia and if you have any tips or questions of your own, why not post a comment below?