Driving in Austrialia when you are from USA?

Question

We are planning a trip to Austrialia, and want to drive, but are concerned about the opposite side of the road driving...is it hard to get used to?

Answer 1

Making the transition is fairly easy, if you do not intend to head into the central business district of a mjor city on your first outing. Think left. Get a rental car with an automatic transmission so you don't have to worry about a shift pattern. Study your street maps before you head out on the road. Drive conservatively. Streets in Sydney are very heavily trafficked, and seem narrower than in the states. If you fly into Melbourne, rather than Sydney, the traffic is less intimidating. Driving in rural Australia can be confusing, because you may go for a long ways without seeing another car, and forget what side of the road you are supposed to be on. Think left, and you will do fine. Hertz has little stickers on the dashboard which seem to be intended for Americans which remind you to "Think Left". Have a great trip! If you want me to drive for you, let me know!

Answer 2

A friend of mine did it the other way - he hired a car in Atlanta and drove up to NY, visiting distant relatives on the way in Illinois - so he saw some of the country. He claimed he had no trouble after the first half hour. Another man I know once drove from MIT to Indianapolis for the big race and back again, though he had been in the US for several weeks first.

Accelerator pedal on the right, brake to the left of it, clutch if fitted on the left of that, as you will be used to. If you hire a large car you will probably get a Ford Falcon, which are OK vehicles. Smaller hire cars are likely to be Japanese or Fords, depending on the company you hire from. BTW, the hire rates from the majors are very similar.

Fundamentals are we drive on the left and "Give Way" - to traffic at intersections on the right, unless they have a "Stop" (red octagonal) or "Give Way" (white inverted triangle, red outline) sign against them. Speed limits are strictly enforced, particularly in towns but if you get a ticket, you don't have to go to court, just send a cheque or maybe pay at a local courthouse. Speed monitoring cameras are used, but not out on the highways because the locals would use them for target practice.

Suburban street limit is 50kph - that's 30mph, arterial streets, 60kph say 37mph, some 4-6 lane roads 80kph, say 50mph, highways, 100kph, 62mph. Some highway the limit is 110kph which is close to 70mph. The Stuart Highway between Alice Springs and Darwin used to have no speed limit but has recently been posted at 160kph, that's 100mph.

There are a lot of rules about parking near fire hydrants, mail boxes and corners which you need not worry too much about, probably much the same in the States. Red and/or yellow painted kerbs mean don't park here.

There are two dangers to people who hail from right side of the road countries. When crossing the road as pedestrians they forget that their right side is where the most immediate danger comes from. Secondly, a large minority of highway head-on crashes involve folk from right hand drive countries.

That said, the accident and death rates on Australian roads are only marginally higher than they are in the USA and are lower than in several Western European countries, so you will be pretty safe.

Highway driving at night can be a problem with kangaroos, which have no road sense at all.

Someone mentioned the "hook turn" This is pretty well confined to inner city Melbourne and is a local rule because of the trams/streetcars. The first time I drove there I'd never heard of it and I wondered WTH? But I got the idea after 5 minutes.

Answer 3

You do have a constant reminder that you should be driving on the left and that is that you are sitting on the right hand side of the car. The most difficult part is when turning left or right at T junctions. You must remember where the traffic is coming from and where you are supposed to go. Take your time and ignore the hoon in the car behind you beeping his horn.

A couple of things about driving in Australia. Firstly seatbelts must be worn. No exceptions, no excuses. If you or any of your passengers are not wearing a seatbelt, you will be penalised. Young children should be in a properly mounted approved seat.

Secondly, any police officer can stop you at any time for any reason. They can check your licence, the roadworthiness of your vehicle or give you a breath test. You must stop when ordered to do so and you must comply with the instructions of the police officer. I know random breath tests and checks are not allowed in the USA, they are here.

Thirdly, don't use a hand-held mobile phone while driving. It is illegal everywhere.

Driving in Australia is not a right it is a privilege and one you have to earn. If you don't obey the rules, you lose your privilege to drive.

Answer 4

It does take some getting use to!! I am from CA and have been here in Aus on and off for a few years now. I know this is going to sound silly but for me, I just follow the cars in front of me. If I am pulling out of a driveway... I follow the flow of the traffic in the direction I want to go. I have made a few mistakes, like pulling out into on coming traffic. Thankfully nothing serious!! Basically I just have to pay more attention to what I am doing behind the wheel of a car.

For Christmas, my husband bought me a GPS unit for the car and that has helped heaps!!

Depending on which cities you plan to visit there are things like hook turns and you need to get use to driving around trams. There are also roundabouts, which I wasn't use to until moving here. Maybe check out some of the Aus. road rules sites.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

Not hard at all. Just keep driving on the side of the road that you are comfortable with. If you find that the oncoming traffic annoys you, one of two things will happen, either you'll get back on the CORRECT side of the road, or you will die.

Answer 6

gee is that wise if you are coming for a trip and not stay. you should get someone else to do the driving for you safer and less hassle - as long as you have your sanity you should be able to pick up on driving on the left hand side - better still let me know when you are here - so I can stay off the road

Answer 7

Tentofields correct, be really careful because things that aren't illegal in the US may be here.

My suggestion would read a learners driving book. It might sound silly, but if you read the learners manual, you will learn about who gives way to who and all that jazz.