Australia Car Hire and Travel Tips

Australia is one of the best tourist spots in world. Every year millions of tourists flock to experience the wonder first hand.

Its expansive land makes Australia an ideal place for tourists to rent a car, 4wd, campervan or motorhome. In fact, car hire comes highly recommended in order to fully appreciate what Australia has to offer.

Reputable car rental suppliers make Australia car hire easy. Pick up and drop off are available from the same location or can be flexible for one-way trips, from all Australian capital cities and populated country locations.

Before you make your car hire or book any luxury RV vehicles, it's important to take note of local road rules. Exercising caution and following the travel tips you see in this article will help make for safe and problem free drive around Australia. One can also directly hire a car from airports locations to avoid wastage of time and misleading at new place.

Australian Road Rules

To drive in Australia, you are required to have a full driver's license. The validity of your driver's license will be checked by the car hire supplier when you pick up your vehicle.

Australia applies strict driving legislation which varies from state to state. Generally, you can't go wrong making conservative driving judgments. Remember to wear seat belts at all times and do not use your mobile phone even for sending a text message while driving. Failure to follow these laws can result in a fine and/or license suspension.

Australians drive on the left hand side of the road. As it's always best to drive just below the signed speed limit, stick to the very far left lane reserved for more cautious drivers.

Beware of cyclists who share the far left lane of the road. Often in metropolitan areas, cyclists will have a bike lane dedicated for their travel.

Drink driving is strictly forbidden in Australia. In your travels you may be waved over by police operating a clearly marked breath testing van and asked to complete the check. Driving with an alcohol reading exceeding Australia's national limit of 0.05 is likely to mean an immediate license suspension, significant fine or possibly jail. Be aware, the vans operate frequently.

Local speed limits

Australian speed limits can vary slightly from state to state so keep on the lookout for variations in road legislation. The limit will be signed clearly on main streets and freeways, so make sure you stick to them.

Don't be tempted to exceed the speed limit as Australia's strict road governance means speed detection cameras are almost everywhere. Many are permanently positioned as red light cameras, ready to catch drivers ignoring red lights and/or speeding.

Fines are expensive, and in Australia, are always the responsibility of the driver. If you are a foreign national, the fine will be charged to you by the car hire supplier via your credit card or mailed back to you in your home country.

Remember, all speed limit signs are posted in kilometers per hour.

Driving at night

Where possible, it's best to avoid driving at night particularly when travelling through country areas.

Dedicated break areas can be found along major freeways and operate 24 hours a day. These allow you to stop for refreshments, use the amenities and take a well-deserved break from driving. Take advantage of these rest stops whenever you can to avoid long stretches of driving.

Driving in the outback

You might see signs with warnings of nearby wildlife. When driving through remote areas, it is quite common for Australian wombats and kangaroos to appear on the road when you least expect.

Conforming to the speed limit and exercising extra caution in these areas generally help to avoid collisions with wildlife.

Australian climate

Climates vary somewhat across Australian states. For instance, you'll typically find tropical weather in the North while cooler temperatures exist in Victoria and Tasmania with less humidity.

Summer: December, January, February
Autumn: March, April, May
Winter: June, July, August
Spring: September, October, November

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology provides a range of weather forecasts.

Other general tips:

Ensure you always have enough fuel
Carry enough Australian currency with you as cards are not always accepted, particularly in small country stores
Always follow signed instructions and heed all warnings
Carry your visa, license and passport with you at all times
If you're relying on a GPS, ask your car hire supplier for a road map just in case