Brace yourself for a shock. The law doesn't differentiate between public and private property when it comes to where the road rules apply. This can have startling, and sobering, consequences. Just below is an example that relates to being on a camping trip in a 4X4, but the same principle applies in the car park of a major shopping centre.

Let’s say you’re in the bush. Let’s say you’re camped on an outback station, on private property that’s open to the public. Legally. A place where recreational camping is allowed. Encouraged, even, as a source of revenue for the grazier. The sun’s setting. You’re on the bank of a choice creek. It’s been a textbook day. Half a dozen fresh fish on the barbecue plate (bad day for them; a good one for you), and you’re swapping lies with mates, with a few beers to chase them down.

A light chill is creeping in as the sun sets. You decide that maybe there isn’t enough firewood at hand

Prevention

Most flat tyres are preventable. Blowouts are caused by excessive flex in underinflated tyres. They overheat and let go, basically. Solution? Simple – check your tyre pressures every two weeks. The recommended pressure is on the car’s tyre placard, usually located inside one of the front door frames.

Location, Location, Location

Most flat tyres are unscripted – you don’t choose where or when they occur. Andrew Ticker, a technical specialist for Mercedes-Benz and veteran mechanic of 22 years says you should never attempt to change a flat tyre if you’re stopped close to the prevailing traffic flow. “Drive slowly [read: jogging pace] to an area where you can pull safely off to the side,” he advises. “Don’t worry about damaging the tyre – your safety is more important than that.”

Owner’s Manual

No, really. Check it out, if only to identify anything quirky about your car – such as whether your car has a space-saver spare tyre (these thinner spares are increasingly prevalent and often speed-limited to 80km/h.)

Standard Equipment

The standard toolkit usually boils down to a

The major airbag no-nos: driving with your arms diagonally across the steering wheel, and passengers with their feet up on the dash. Clarke: “Being in the wrong position spoils the deployment of the airbag, and it can hurt you – if you’re twisted sideways, the pre-tensioner could break your collarbone. An airbag could break your arm, or your ankles if your feet are up on the dash. Worse, because you’ve spoiled its deployment, then it can’t protect you properly. Seat covers and dash mats that aren’t designed for airbags can ruin the deployment, too.”

Greg, a police prosecutor in NSW, who declined to be identified, said: “This still catches people out. They think, ‘I’m on private property, the road rules don’t apply’. They’re wrong. Say you’ve had a few drinks at the pub. You think: ‘I’ll get a cab, but first I’ll move my car down the back of the carpark, where it’ll be safer.’ The cops show up; you’re driving in the carpark. They breath-test you; you’re over the limit. You get arrested for drink driving. Legally, it’s a slam-dunk.”