Driver's Licence
Visitors driving in Australia must observe the licence requirements.You must carry your licence
with you when you are driving. There is an on-thespot fine for not having your licence with you.
Additionally, if your licence is not in English, you must carry an English translation when driving
in Australia. If you are uncertain of any requirement or have other road safety inquiries, telephone the
Roads and Traffic Authority, New South Wales on 132 213 (can not be dialed outside New South Wales). For motoring assistance contact NRMA in New South Wales and RACV in Victoria

Seat belts
It is a legal requirement for everyone, the driver and passengers, to use seatbelts at all times.
Baby capsules or child restraints must be used for all children.

Speed-limits
A driver must not drive at a speed over the posted speed-limit (signs are beside the roads) In most
towns the limit is 50 km per hour and on free ways it will vary between 60 and 100 km per hour.

Alcohol
Australia has strict laws about drinking alcohol and driving. Australian Police are authorised to stop any
vehicle and breath test the driver at any time. There is no absolute safe level of alcohol
consumption for competent driving. For fully licensed car drivers the legal limit is 0.05 g/100ml.

Mobile phones
It is illegal to drive or ride a vehicle while using a hand-held mobile phone. The penalty
is a significant fine. This means that talking, sending or receiving text messages, playing games
or taking photos are illegal when using a hand-held phone. It is also illegal to perform these activities
when your vehicle is stopped but not parked, for example when you are waiting at traffic lights.

Driver Fatigue
Distances between towns and cities may be far greater than you are used to - it is recommended
that for every two hours you drive you then stop and rest for 15 minutes.

Country Driving
When driving in rural areas, be extremely careful of:
• Potholes and rough surfaces
• Soft or broken road edges
• Single lane bridges
• Road surfaces changing without notice
• Livestock or wildlife crossing the road
(particularly just near sunrise or near sunset).
• Very large trucks (road trains)
Constantly scan for dangerous situations and drive
at a speed that suits the conditions.