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Safe Driving In Australia

 

Australia is a large country and our iconic destinations are often far apart. We recommend that you research your itinerary thoroughly, paying particular attention to travel distances. You will have a far better experience if you travel at a leisurely pace, exploring the many attractions of Australia, rather than spending each day driving long distances to make it to your destination on time. Aim to cover 150 - 250 kilometres per day and allow yourself rest days (particularly if there is only one driver) and you will experience Australia in safety and comfort.

To avoid any nasty fines or penalties you should ensure that you are aware of the road rules before embarking on your journey. You will be required to watch our safety video before leaving the branch but we recommend familiarising yourself with each states regulations, especially if you have not travelled there before. 

*Please note you will be charged for any road toll charges, traffic infringements, speeding or parking fines that you incur.

Travel Safety

 

Please read these safety messages to ensure you stay safe on your journey. 

Read our safety messages

Please make sure you read all of Apollo's SAFETY messages 

 

watch out for height

Watch out for HEIGHT

Use a spotter

Use a SPOTTER to help direct you

 

Watch out for wildlife

Watch out dusk and dawn brings WILDLIFE

Take a break every 2 hours

Take a BREAK every 2 hours
 

 

Wear your seatbelt

EVERYONE must wear a seatbelt

Keep left in Australia

Drive on the LEFT


 

don't drive through flood water

Don't drive through FLOODED roads

Slow down on gravel roads

SLOW DOWN on gravel and stay on the road

 

Use the right lane

OBEY Australian road rules

Watch Our Safety and Vehicle Videos

 

The ApolloConnect App has safe driving videos to ensure that you are properly prepared for your trip before you set off, as well as a vehicle "how to" video for your chosen RV.  We recommend you watch these before you collect your vehicle. The in-branch team will be there to answer any additional questions you may have and will make sure you feel at ease before you leave.

If you are new to motorhomes, we recommend you spend the first night in a nearby campsite to familiarise yourself with the vehicle, so you are close by if you have any issues.

Download the ApolloConnect App from the App Store or from the Google Play Store



 


 

On the Road 

 

Rest assured that in the unlikely event that something does go wrong on your journey that Apollo will be there to assist you. In the event you run into mechanical difficulties on your holiday, Apollo offers 24-hour roadside assistance for your peace of mind.
 
If you require assistance in Australia, please call Apollo Assist on 1800 849 859 and we will help to get you back on the road as soon as possible. 
 

For assistance in New Zealand, please call 0800 234 567 or 09 912 9621.

 

Toll Passes

 

You will likely encounter toll roads if you are driving through Metropolitan New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.   

When driving a thl rental vehicle in Australia, you are responsible for the costs of the toll charges, so it is important to be aware of these roads before you travel. These toll roads are electronically tolled, which means you will not be able to stop and pay cash. 

For hires picking up after 01 August 2024, all thl vehicles will be registered for automatic tolling, which means you don’t need to do a thing!  If you drive on a toll road, the toll charge will be paid by thl and thl will then charge the credit card that is on file for your booking.

 

Travel Restrictions

 

To ensure your safety Apollo has some travel restrictions for certain vehicles, if you’re unsure Its best to share your proposed route with Apollo to ensure that it is safe to travel.

Not all RVs are suitable for all driving situations, so it’s important the right RV is chosen for the travel planned. Apollo, at its discretion, may restrict RV travel in certain areas due to adverse road or weather conditions, and the distance to nominated destinations in relation to the length of the rental period. If applicable, any further restrictions will be mentioned at pick-up. Guests are encouraged to contact On Road Assist on 1300 850 805 (or +61 3 8398 8880) for any concerns regarding road accessibility.

For the safety of guests, the following travel restrictions are in place:

• Guests who travel to restricted areas without permission will void all liability cover in the event of damage or accident 

Two-Wheel Drive vehicles, such as our Campervans and Motorhomes can only be driven on sealed/bitumen roads or well-maintained access roads which lead to recognised camp grounds and are less than 12 kilometres long. 

Four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles can be driven on recognised unsealed tracks but may only travel to some remote areas with written permission of Apollo. See our full list of restricted areas in our Special Advice for 4WD Customers document found on our Terms & Conditions page HERE.

When hiring a 4WD vehicle we recommend that you only drive within your limits and if you are new to travelling off-road you partake in 4WD driver training before embarking on your journey. Talk to our friendly team if you are unsure if a 4WD trip is suitable for you.

Driver Fatigue

 

Driver fatigue, or tiredness, contributes to many hundreds of deaths and injuries on our roads every year. It has a role in up to 30 per cent of fatal crashes and up to 15 per cent of serious injuries needing to go to hospital.

Driver fatigue can be just as deadly as drink driving or excessive speeding. The problem with fatigue is that it slowly develops and drivers often don’t realise they’re too tired to drive safely. But drivers can teach themselves to recognise the warning signs and take a break before it is too late.

 On a campervan holiday, it is vital to avoid driver fatigue via appropriate holiday planning. We recommend you:

◾ Do not plan to drive long distances immediately after arriving from a long haul flight and

◾ Stay in the same city for your first day/night of travel.

 

The Warning Signs

 

 There are a number of easy to recognise warning signs when you’re becoming fatigued. It’s a good idea to get to know what these are.

◾ You know you are becoming fatigued if you have a combination of any of the following:

◾ You keep yawning

◾ You have difficulty keeping your head up or eyes open

◾ Your eyes feel sore or heavy

◾Your vision starts to blur or dim

◾ You start ‘seeing things’

◾ You find you’re daydreaming, thinking of everything else but not your driving

◾ You become impatient and make rash decisions

◾ You feel hungry or thirsty

◾ Your hands feel sweaty

◾ Your reactions seem slow

◾ You feel stiff or cramped

◾ Your driving speed creeps up or down

◾ You start making poor gear changes

◾ You wander over the centre-line, or into another lane or on to the road edge

◾ You hear a droning or humming in your ears

◾ You don’t notice a vehicle until it suddenly overtakes you

◾ You don’t remember driving the last few kilometres

 

When you notice some of the warning signs, it doesn’t help your safety to brush them off as nothing. It is safer to take a break, sooner rather than later.

 

Avoiding fatigue on long trips

 

 There are a number of simple commonsense ways of avoiding driver fatigue. It’s a good idea to get to know them. Using them will help you arrive safely.

◾ Plan your trip with a good night’s sleep (that is, 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep) beforehand.

◾ Plan not to travel for more than 8-10 hours in any one day. The longer you drive the more you must fight fatigue.

◾ Plan to take regular breaks (at least every 2 hours for 15 minutes or more), stopping in towns along the way or at roadside rest stops.

◾ Plan to start your trip early in the day and try not to drive into the night. The chances of crashing are much higher at night. Plan to stay somewhere overnight so you can arrive alive – even if it is the next day.

◾ When you stop, get out of the car and walk around for a while – exercise, breathing deeply.

◾ Share the driving, if you can. Passengers can tell if you are tired or showing signs of tiredness.

◾ Eat proper well-balanced meals on journeys – not too much and not too little – and at your usual meal times. This will also ensure you take proper breaks. (It’s a good idea to steer clear of fatty foods which can make you feel sluggish).

◾ Don’t drink any alcohol at all before driving or during rest breaks. Alcohol can make you feel tired more quickly, as well as putting you at risk of being over the legal limit to drive.

◾ Check what prescription medicines you are taking – some can affect your alertness or cause drowsiness. If this is the case, check with your pharmacist and see if you can stop taking them for a day.

 

Myths and Facts

 There are many myths about drive fatigue:

 

Myth: It’ll be safer if I make the trip overnight because I’ll avoid the day-time traffic.

 

Fact: Your body has a normal 24-hour rhythm pattern built into it. If you are driving when you would normally be sleeping you will be fighting yourself to stay awake. The chances of falling asleep at the wheel after your normal bedtime, especially in the early hours of the morning, are very high.

 

Myth: Loud music will keep me awake.

 

Fact: This might help for a while but it won’t help for long. Loud music might also distract you from the driving task or even send you to sleep!

 

Myth: A flask of coffee or a caffeine drink will keep me awake.

 

Fact: Caffeine is only a short term solution and will have less and less affect the more often you use it. It might make you feel more alert but it won’t keep you going for long. The long term solution is to get some sleep.

 

Myth: Plenty of fresh air through the window will keep me awake.

 

Fact: This might give you a boost and help for a while, as might turning the air-conditioning to cold. But if you’re tired, sleep is the only solution.

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