 |
|
|
Cars & Driving in Australia Much of this page relates to Perth & WA , although should be useful for migrants going to other states. | Cars & Driving in Australia - The BasicsIn Australia, we drive on the left side of the road, so cars are right-hand drive - in fact, you need a special licence for a left-hand drive car.RoadsAround metropolitan areas, all roads are fully constructed (bitumen, drainage etc), usually well maintained, with good markings and signs. In country areas most major roads are sealed, but as you go further from the major towns, you can expect to see some partly-sealed (ie. you have to go partly off the bitumen to pass) or unsealed roads.Speed LimitsThe maximum legal speed limit anywhere in Western Australia is 110 kph (69 mph).Typical speed limits are as follows:
Licensing & RegistrationAll drivers must have a valid licence and all vehicles (including caravans and trailers) have their own registration number and must also be licensed.Car OwnershipIn 2007 there were about 11.4 million passenger cars in Australia¹, about 1 car for every 1.5 people of driving age.Age of CarsIn 2007 the average age of cars on Australian roads was 9.7 years¹ By comparison, the average UK car is 6.8 years old².Manual or AutomaticOur research of used car sales across Australia³ shows that 68% are automatic or semi-automatic and just 32% are manuals. Learner drivers can opt for a license that allows them to drive automatics only.RoadworthinessIn Australia, there is no equivalent of the UK's MOT certificate. You do not have to prove the roadworthiness of your vehicle each year. However, if the police notice a vehicle they think may be unroadworthy, they can issue the owner with a "yellow sticker" (defect notice), which requires the owner to get the vehicle examined.
¹ Australian Bureau of Statistics - 9309.0 - Motor Vehicle Census, Australia, 2007 ----- Your Driver's LicenceIf you are a permanent migrant to WA, you must obtain a WA driving licence within 3 months of getting here. If you're on a temporary visa you can drive on your overseas licence for up to 12 months.Getting Your LicenceIf you are coming from one of the "recognised countries" (which includes UK, USA and much of Europe) you can simply obtain a WA licence without any testing. If you're coming from a "non-recognised country" you may have to sit a computer-test and a practical driving assessment.It costs about $40 to apply, plus about $120 for a 5 year licence. If you're aged under 19, you can only get a provisional licence and will have to display P-plates. See www.dpi.wa.gov.au/licensing/yourlicence/1363.asp for all the details. Learning to DriveSee www.dpi.wa.gov.au/licensing/yourlicence/1210.asp.----- Vehicle Registration & InsuranceVehicle RegistrationAll vehicles must have a current "Licence and Third Party insurance Policy" - you're sent a bill each year. For our cars (in WA, 2008) the cost of the annual licences are:
About $250 of the licence fee pays the premium for Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance for death and injury to a third party caused by the vehicle, whoever is driving. There is no legal requirement to have any other motor insurance, although most people do, of course, to cover damage to themselves, or to their own or another vehicle or other property. InsuranceFor fully comprehensive insurance (with 65% No Claims Discount) our annual premiums are:
No Claims DiscountMost insurance companies I have spoken to offer No Claims Discount based on your number of years claim-free motoring. So, your record in your former country should count towards this and you may qualify for the maximum 65% discount immediately. To be on the safe side, bring your last policy document with evidence of your No Claims Discount.Australia-Wide Insurance CompaniesAllianz (NSW,QLD,SA) WA-only Insurance CompaniesLinks to State Insurance CommissionsThese are the government bodies that run the Compulsory Third Party Insurance schemes in each state.WA - Insurance Commission of WA NSW - Motor Accidents Authority QLD - Motor Accidents Insurance Commission SA - Motor Accident Commission VIC - Transport Accident Commission TAS - Motor Accidents Insurance Board ACT - NRMA Insurance Limited NT - Territory Insurance Office ----- Hiring a CarMost new arrivals will hire a car when they first arrive.If you're not being picked up from the airport you can:
Your choice will depend on how confident you are about driving as soon as you arrive. Most Australian cities are not busy by UK standards, but after a long flight and probably not knowing directions, you may not feel up to it. Car Hire Companies at Most AirportsAVIS Budget Europcar Hertz Thrifty Red SpotSome other Car Hire companies around PerthBayswater Car RentalNorthside Rentals Burswood Car Rentals Ace Rent-A-Car Sunset Rent-A-Car ----- Buying a CarPretty soon after arrival, most migrants will be looking to buy either a new or used car. A couple of general observations - in comparison to the UK, new cars are a bit cheaper in Australia and used cars are usually quite a lot more expensive.To see the recommended "book value" for used cars, see The Red BookAdditional CostsIf you're buying new, there are normally some additional costs on top of the list price for the vehicle ("on road costs") these may include stamp duty (see below), "dealer delivery" and registration.Stamp DutyWhether buying a new or used car, you will have to pay stamp duty to the state government. In WA, the rates are 2.75% for a car with market value up to $20,000, increasing to 6.5% for cars worth $45,000 or more. So, for example, a $35,000 car will cost you an additional $1750. Here are links for stamp duty rates in each state: NSW . VIC . QLD . WA . SA . TAS . NT . ACTCar Search - Perth----- Perth Car Dealerships (our sponsors)
----- FuelAccording to statistics (ABS Motor Vehicle Census 2007), 94% of Australian cars run on petrol, 3.8% diesel and 2.2% LPG or dual LPG/petrol.Fuels Available
Links to more on fuel: Coles Express/Shell BP Australia Caltex Price of FuelLike everywhere else in the world, Australia has seen huge increases in the price of fuel in the last few years.At the time of writing (March 2008) regular unleaded petrol in Perth is about $1.40/litre, which is painfully high - but for those coming from UK (where it's 106.3p/litre, equivalent to about $2.30/litre), you'll still find this relatively cheap (for a while).
See MotorMouth for more info on fuel prices around Australia. ----- Resources & LinksLicensing & Vehicle Registration Authority by StateWA - Dept for Planning & Infrastructure (DPI) NSW - Road & Traffic Authority QLD - Queensland Transport SA - Dept for Transport Energy & Infrastructure VIC - Vic Roads TAS - Dept of Transport Energy & Resources ACT - rego.act - Road Transport Authority NT - Northern Territory Transport Group Motoring Organisations (Roadside assistance/inspections)----- Traffic WebcamsPerth, WAMitchell Freeway just north of Perth CBDMitchell Freeway at Erindale Rd Kwinana Freeway just south of Perth CBD ----- DisclaimerInformation on this website is intended to give the reader an overview of many aspects of life in Australia, such as healthcare, real estate, tax, superannuation etc.While we at Aussiemove.com have performed a large amount of research on each subject area, we do not claim to be experts in those fields and we recommend that migrants discuss their requirements with companies specialising in those fields before making purchases, investments or other decisions concerning their move. The content of this website is general in nature - no specific advice is intended. We provide links to other companies as a service to our readers. We have taken reasonable care to ensure that each linked website does not contain offensive or inappropriate material. However, we are not responsible for the accuracy of any of the material in any linked website, or the advice that may be contained therein. ----- |
