Car-friendly cities in Australia

Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is a car theft nightmare. Canberra drivers are the most likely in the whole of Australia to have their car stolen, according to a nationwide report by Virgin Car Insurance. The rate of car thefts is more than eight per 1,000 cars registered.

Drivers in the capital also pay more for petrol and registration than anywhere else in the country. The capital was also rated as the second most expensive city for parking fines at $79, almost twice the price of Darwin’s $40 ticket for a parking penalty.

The report also says Sydney is the worst city to drive in, the most expensive city for parking fees, parking fines and tolls, while also having the fewest parking spaces. The report found the average cost of two hours parking in an inner city car park in Sydney was $43.30, compared to $20.00 in Melbourne and just $2.00 in Hobart. Finding an on-street parking spot is also a problem for Sydney drivers, with just 10,483 council parking spaces available, compared to Melbourne's 42,000.

Parking infringement fines were found to be nearly 50 per cent higher than in Melbourne, while Sydney's toll roads are reported to be the most expensive in Australia: Sydney drivers spend an average of $0.32 per kilometre on toll roads, while Melbourne drivers and people north of the border only pay an average of $0.20 per kilometre. Darwin motorists pay the most for car insurance.

The most friendly capital cities in Australia for car owners are as follows:

1. Adelaide

2. Hobart

3. Perth

4. Darwin

5. Melbourne

6. Brisbane

7. Canberra

8. Sydney

Canberra drivers were also prone to driving under the influence of alcohol. More than a third of Canberra drivers caught with a blood alcoholic reading over the prescribed limit in the last week had a previous offence. The police say that motorists are just not getting the message not to drink and drive.

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