5 Must-Know Self Drive Tips in Australia
Planning your self drive in Australia? Apart from following our day by day guides, our Australia Specialists have put together some top tips to help you make the most of your journey through Australia, and stay safe.
#1 Stick to the speed limit
The speed limit, as it is all over the world, is there for your safety. By exceeding it, you not only put yourself and your passengers but also other road users at risk. If you need more of a reason, it can also make the cost of your trip increase if you exceed the Australian speed limit. The Australian government's speed limit does not have much leniency on the excess level that the speed limit can be exceeded by. There is no % rule as to how many KPH you can go over the speed limit before you get fined, so as little as 5KPH over might land you with a $200 fine.
#2 Watch out for wildlife
It goes without saying that you need to watch the road if you are the driver but also ask you co-pilot to be your second pair of eyes (we realise they will also wanting to soak in the surroundings on your beautiful adventure!). Driving at dawn and dusk requires particular attention in Australia especially in more rural areas so pay attention to wandering wildlife. This time of day is when some of Australia's most iconic animals come out for a stroll, and they don't necessarily follow the highway code, you are in their habitat. Hitting a kangaroo or wombat at high speed not only endangers the animals life but can cause damage to you and your car so drive cautiously.
#3 Take a break
We used tried and tested self drive routes to allow you to enjoy and experience some of the best that Australia has to offer. Don't forget to stop and enjoy the scenery outside of the car once in a while and make sure to take a rest. Plan in your food stops, you don't want to miss out on any iconic Australian food fayre that you might discover in some of the areas outside of the city. If you are exploring any of the wine regions, remember there is zero tolerance to drink driving so designate your driver, and don't forget to buy them a couple of bottles of the good stuff to enjoy once you are safely at your evenings rest spot to they don't miss out!
#4 Get Parking
There are many places in Australia where searching and paying for parking just isnt necessary. What a joy! What you might want to follow is the P signs to avoid a fine. Where you see displays showing 1P, 2P, 3P etc this represents the number of hours that you an park in that particular spot. You are not able to return to it or move within the same P zone so make sure you back to your car before your time is up. How to know when you parked? Take a picture of your car when you leave it, this will help you find it more easily when you return and mark the time when you left your vehicle, handy! Remember, the fines for parking can be hefty with a $108 fine for staying 10 minutes over in a 1P parking zone so careful or your parking might not end up being free after all!
#5 Plan and save
Starting your trip in the city before you head out on the road? It might be cheaper to pick your car up once you have finished your city stay. Many hotels in Sydney, Melbourne and Gold Coast can charge up to $40 per night for car parking, as much as a days hire. There are many centrally located pick up points and dropping back at the city airport you collected the car in shouldn't incur an additional charge. Just be aware if you are driving one way on your journey, such as from Sydney to Brisbane, there may be an additional 'one-way' fee for the car to be left at the end of your journey. CheapTickets.sg advises travelers to take out additional insurance to get a zero excess in case of accident or incident whilst hiring a car, this is only $9.90 when purchased with car rental on our website. It can be as high as $38 per day if purchased at the time of picking up the rental direct from the rental company.
Want to know learn more about Australia self drive routes? Check out our self-drive itinerary here or hire a car today!