3 things to know before driving interstate

Posted 4 August, 2017 Jane Woodhams

Heading on an interstate road trip? Here are some key things you need to know before you pack the car and head off on your way.

1. TOLL ROADS

Thankfully we don’t have any toll roads in South Australia; however, they are a common sight across the eastern states. So how do you pay if you’ve driven on one?

Gone are the days when you could just drive up to a booth and pay the operator. In a bid to reduce congestion, all toll roads now operate on a cashless system. Regular users have an electronic tag in their vehicle that detects what roads they’ve driven on and automatically charges their account. So what does this mean for interstate travellers?

If you’re in a hire car, it’ll probably be fitted with an E-tag already and your credit card will be charged directly – but double check with the rental company before heading off.

If you’re driving your own car, you’ll need to get a temporary pass. You can do this either before you go, or up to three days after you’ve driven on a toll road. Each state has a few different types of passes and the best one for you will depend on how much driving you’ll be doing. You can find a full list of the different options here.

If you don’t get a pass, cameras along the road will record your number plate and the registered owner will be sent an invoice in the mail. It’s best to avoid this though, as you’ll be charged extra processing fees.

At the moment, tolls are only found in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, and RAA does not support having them in South Australia.

If you’re in a hire car, it’ll probably be fitted with an E-tag already and your credit card will be charged directly – but double check with the rental company before heading off.

If you’re driving your own car, you’ll need to get a temporary pass. You can do this either before you go, or up to three days after you’ve driven on a toll road. Each state has a few different types of passes and the best one for you will depend on how much driving you’ll be doing. You can find a full list of the different options here.

If you don’t get a pass, cameras along the road will record your number plate and the registered owner will be sent an invoice in the mail. It’s best to avoid this though, as you’ll be charged extra processing fees.

At the moment, tolls are only found in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, and RAA does not support having them in South Australia.

2. CAN YOU DRIVE IF YOU’RE ON L OR P PLATES?

This is one of the most common questions we get from members that are about to head on an interstate road trip.

Where it gets just a little tricky is that each state has a few different laws for learner and provisional drivers. They’ll need to follow both the restrictions that would normally apply in SA, plus any extra laws for the state they’re driving in. If there’s a law that clashes, they should always follow the strictest version.

As you’ll see, the main difference is around speed limits. While SA law allows L and P-platers to travel up to 100km/h, several states have lower speed restrictions, so they’ll need to stick to those when they cross the border.

When it comes to night-time driving and the number of passengers allowed in the car, SA has the strictest rules in the country – so they should just follow the same restrictions they would when driving here.

And finally, Learners and P1 drivers should always display plates at the front and back of their vehicle when travelling interstate, but P2 drivers don’t need to do so.

3. REGO STICKERS

All states have now stopped issuing rego stickers, but we still get some reports of members being delayed while police check their vehicle.

If you have a smartphone, we recommend downloading the EzyReg app so you can easily show your vehicle is currently registered. Otherwise, carry your car’s Registration Certificate with you when travelling outside of SA (but don’t leave it in the vehicle).

There’s no law that says you need to do this, but it may stop you from being delayed while the police do their checks.