The basics to drive safe in Australia, here is what I’ve learned while driving through this country.
We are doing an awesome one-month family road trip in Australia and have booked flights to arrive in Brisbane and fly back from Perth. This means we are driving from east to west in only four weeks.
It’s only after two weeks of traveling that I say “in only four weeks” because, in fact, it is a little short to do everything we wanted to do. We had to skip a few stops to be sure to arrive safe and sound in Perth without driving the heck out of us to be there on time.
While traveling and driving through this beautiful country, I have learned a few things that I haven’t read on any blogs before coming here.
You read about the beautiful beaches and the wild animals but there is no information on important things to know while going from a place to another.
Driving
Driving in Australia is easy and not too much of a pain. Roads are in good condition and people aren’t stressful in the big cities or around. We have to be careful as we have to drive the left side of the road. We did a few mistakes but nothing to worry about 😉
One of the most given advice from locals is: do not drive at night outside of the cities.
The danger comes from wild animals. When you start driving in the outback, you understand why it is better to stop driving before sunset. There are so many dead animals along the road, mostly poor kangaroos, but we also spotted a cow, a sheep, and a dingo.
To be safe, don’t drive at night. Australians say kangaroos tend to cross roads at dawn or sunset. But we saw a few on the side of the road during the day. So be aware that this is a danger that causes many accidents.
Gas
For your safety, be sure to have a full fuel tank when moving out of the coastal cities and heading the outback. It is better to stop to add some gas even if your tank isn’t near empty.
Know how many kilometers you can drive with a full tank and be sure you can reach your destination.
Water
This is obviously the same as gas.
You need water! Enough water to drink and stay hydrated.
We always have at least 2 times 10 liters of water in the car. For our trip to Coober Pedy, we bought four of these spring water canisters. We topped up our water bottles as often as needed and took care that the children did drink enough. With the air-con in the car, it is quickly forgotten to drink what is a necessity.
Stop, Revive, Survive
This is a sign you will often see while driving across Australia.
Many signs are on the road to make sure you will have a break before having an accident. I like these signs because they are clear. It is always better to be clear than trying to explain safety with millions of words. So don’t forget to stop, revive and survive!
These are the basics
For sure these are the basics for most of the road trips. But I truly think this reminder is well needed when traveling in Australia and drive safe. Distances are long between places when you leave the coastline. Temperature also rises when leaving the coastline.
On our trip from Sydney to Adelaide and then to Cobber Pedy, we surely understood that these basics are for safety.
With the experience, you absolutely apply these basics without noticing. But it is always a good idea to remind them.
They also do apply to every type of traveler. Whether you are an avid bush camper, a simple citizen of the world or an explorer, you need to take care of your safety.
Have a safe trip!
Did I forget anything? Would love to hear from you!
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