Are there any special requirements for driving or hiring a car in Australia?
Always know where yo
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u are going to get fuel when you set out on overnight drives and be aware of the fact that fuel stations may close late at night or Sundays, however in recent years more 24 hr stations have opened in the big cities. Cell phones may not work in some parts of Australia. Always tell someone if you are making an off road trip and give them your planned itinerary. If your vehicle breaks down in the Outback stay with it and do not attempt to walk.
Driving is on the left hand side of the road. Do not overtake on the left hand side and do not overtake if there are solid white lines. At roundabouts give way to vehicles already on the roundabout and select your lane early.
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In Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide there is a tram system so look out for signs and tram tracks. Trams usually have right of way. A solid yellow line means cars are not allowed to drive in the tram lane. A special 'hook turn' is used by traffic in Melbourne to get around the problem of trams. It involves approaching an intersection in the left lane and indicating right. Approaching the intersection as far left as possible until you are perpendicular to the traffic heading in the direction that you want to be. They should be waiting at a red light. Then you follow the traffic lights to your right.
Watch out for animals such as kangaroos on the roads. If you do hit a marsupial you are legally required to stop and check whether or not they had any young in their pouches. When driving on highway you should stay on the left unless overtaking. At T junctions the motorist going straight through has right of way.
You should be aware that there are massive driving times between the Australian cities. There are 860 kilometres between Sydney and Melbourne on the Hume Highway, 964 kilometres between Sydney and Brisbane on the Pacific Highway and 2695 kilometres between Adelaide and Perth on the Eyre and Great Eastern Highways. Some roads which are OK in the dry season may become impassable in the wet season.