Tuesday, 29 December 2009

Safety Tip For Driving Your Australian Rental Vehicle


By Jason Hall

The best way to see Queensland is undoubtedly by car. It's certainly the only place to get to see all of those out of the way place without taking a tour. Super, diesel and unleaded fuel is available from petrol stations and LPG (gas) is also available in populated areas but not always in the remote service stations. Prices vary accordingly depending on place and time. The price always goes up around the weekends and bank holidays so if you are watching your money, it's a good idea to fill up on a week day.

When trying to choose what rental company to use you should consider a company that gives unlimited kilometers. Larger companies sometimes offer one-way rentals, pick up your automobile in one town and drop it off when you reach your destination, but you need to be sure of any restrictions. 4WD and camper vans are the most popular rentals. A 4WD allows you to get right into the natural wonders that most travelers miss. However, the insurance on these tend to be high and don not cover any off road damage.

There are a few multi lane highways, in Queensland, but most major roads are two lanes. There are also many dirt roads which are great when you are wanting to see the countryside. On e of the most common hazards on Australian roads, is the Kangaroo. Hitting one can, no matter what speed you are traveling, can make quite a mess of your car, not to mention the kangaroo. Dust and Dawn is when you need to pay close attention for Kangaroos.

Traveling at night time, in Australia, is one the most dangerous times. This is due to the animals that come out at dusk. If you are driving and find that there is a large animal in from of you you should, hit the brakes and dim your lights. Swerving should only be an option if it is safe to do so. Many traveler have been in fatal accidents because of swerving away from the animal, as they drove into something else. Although traumatic, is is safer to hit he animal then to swerve, in many instances.

Along the east coast in general but especially in country areas, drink driving is a real problem. Serious attempts are being made to address this but the vast area is a disadvantage. You will almost definitely come across a random breath testing station or booze bus somewhere on your travels and more often or not these test for drugs and substance abuse too. If you have a level of blood-alcohol in Australia more than 0.05% be prepared for a hefty fine and the loss of your license. Also there is always a danger of parking fines in major cities and tourist towns so be sure park in the proper place even if it may cost a bit!

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