Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Reminder: be very careful on the road, especially if you drive on the right side

I suppose few people in Australia/New Zealand drive a lot away from the main highways, but this story emphasises the risks of tourists driving in unfamiliar places, on the other side of the road.

U-turn's deadly chain reaction (http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/uturns-deadly-chain-reaction/2008/04/17/1208025326467.html)[SMH]
A US tourist on a holiday in Australia is facing serious charges following a car crash in which a 33-year-old mother died.

About 10am yesterday, a 25-year-old woman and her 26-year-old passenger - both believed to be US tourists one week into a two-week holiday in Australia - were driving a 2007 Toyota Corolla through Freemans Waterhole near Newcastle.

The American is alleged to have made a U-turn on Palmers Road and collided with a Jeep Cherokee travelling in the opposite direction, police said. The U-turn itself was not illegal, police said.

The Jeep spun out of control and slammed into a third car - a Kia Mentor carrying a 33-year-old woman and her 14-month-old son.

...
The accident forced the closure of Palmers Road for six hours while the cars were removed and crash investigators examined the area.

The 25-year-old American was taken to Toronto police station where she was charged with negligent driving occasioning death.

Actually, I think it highlights the stupidity of chucking a u-ey, regardless of side of the road, without looking at what you're doing.

Women drivers. :p

Hey - watch those women driver comments. :p

I returned two cars with nary a scratch (and yes, surprised myself since I took out every sort of insurance just in case for those rentals) I have the feeling these folks might have been as much of a danger in the US as Australia on the road. IOW, regardless of the side of the road they are driving on, they were oblivious to the fact that the road is public and shared. Very unfortunate for that woman and her now motherless child.

This is tragically similar to the fate suffered recently by a Japanese family who attempted the exact same U-turn maneuver on the Big Island of Hawai'i. :(

Condolences to those affected. And a solemn reminder to drive with extreme caution in foreign lands.

I cannot see how the different sides of the road should have been the cause. If she was on the left doing a U-turn then you must drive on to the left going in opposite direction. It may have been doing so too fast that was the problem. This assumes it was a flat intersection and not an underpass cause I had one incident in USA in 2006 when leaving a freeway.

I cannot see how the different sides of the road should have been the cause. If she was on the left doing a U-turn then you must drive on to the left going in opposite direction. It may have been doing so too fast that was the problem. This assumes it was a flat intersection and not an underpass cause I had one incident in USA in 2006 when leaving a freeway.

Maybe just looking the wrong way to see if it's clear?