Things to know about Driving in Australia

Prior to renting a vehicle from a car hire company, there are a few things you need to know about driving in Australia. Everything is going to be different on the road for you and the rules may be different. You might not know this but all Australians drive on the left side of the road and the stirring wheel can be located on the right side of the vehicle. This might seem strange to you and it will probably take you some time to get used to it. Even the windshield wipers are on the left. The car blinker is on the right side. Make sure you memorize where everything is at before driving. Because of your daily driving habits, you may become confused. Always remind yourself that the car features are different and you’ll get the hang of it quickly. Particularly for car hire Gold Coast hire company websites have good info on such matters.car-hire-gold-coast

When you are driving the vehicle, always make sure that everyone has on their seatbelts. Children that are relatively small in size or under age six must go in a car seat. You need to double check to make sure the car seat is restrained properly to avoid any accidents. Protecting the children is the most important thing when it comes to going on vacation in a rental car.

Always scan the road ahead with your eyes, looking for anything unusual like another car bumping or stopping quickly. Also, you need to look out for signs that indicate the conditions of the road. If you are passing by construction areas, make sure you drive slowly and try to edge off to the side. Construction sites can be the most dangerous areas as there are nails around, workers that don’t pay attention and other hazards that may pose a threat to you and your family.

Talking on your cell phone in the vehicle is illegal, unless you have a hands free device. This could be blue tooth or you can simply set up your car speakers so the calls are directed to there. You will hear everything through the speaker. Some systems are set up with your cell phone so you can dial a number just by speak activation.

Talking on the phone is also illegal. To take a phone call, the phone must be fitted into a hands free adaptor, which you can purchase at electronic stores and some service stations.

If you have recently had a glass of wine or a few beers, you probably don’t want to go out driving. The blood alcohol level must be under 0.05. You could easily risk the lives of other people by driving under the influence and even your own life. Always make wise decisions and if you can’t drive, just walk to a nearby hotel and book the room for the night. Depending on how much you drank, it can take up to 24 hours for alcohol to get out of your system. You obviously don’t want to get pulled over and screened by the police. Spending your vacation time in jail is certainly not pleasant.