Car Rental Austin, Texas

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Austin, Texas is located on the Colorado River, and has a population of just over 650,000, making it the 16th largest city in the USA by population. Austin is the capital city of the state of Texas, and is known as both the "Live Music Capital of the World" and a college town.

Austin is named after Stephen Fuller Austin, who was an early leader in the Texas battle for independence. The high-tech industry of Austin specializes in the manufacture of computers, and ranks high nationwide in generating patents for computer graphics and computers. The city was even voted number 3 on the "Most Wired Cities" list in 2002.

Austin has been voted as one of the best places to live in 2001, and was also the site of filming for the 1997 movie "Good Will Hunting", the 1974 movie "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre", and the 2002 movie "The New Guy".

Locals of the city are known as Austinites. Well known Austinites have included Ethan Hawke (actor), Dabney Coleman (actor), O. Henry (writer), Michael Dell (founder of Dell Computer), and Michelle Shocked (musician).

Parks to visit include McKinney Falls State Park and Arkansas Bend Park. And for those that are wildlife fanatics there is a huge urban bat colony can be seen at the Congress Avenue bridge over Town Lake. Other attractions include the Austin Zoo, the Austin Nature and Science Center, and the Umlauf Sculpture Garden.

Austin is also home to the University of Texas at Austin, Concordia University Austin, Huston-Tillotson College, St. Edward's University, and Austin Community College.

Driving Regulations In Texas

Visitors And Driver License Requirements
Visitors at least 16 years of age who has in their possession a valid driver’s license issued to them in their home state may operate a vehicle which is permitted to be operated with a Class C driver’s license in Texas. 5. Visitors at least 18 years of age may drive any personal vehicle in Texas if they are legally licensed to drive such a vehicle in their home state or country, and their home state or country grants like recognition to citizens of Texas.

Seat Belt And Child Safety Seat Usage
All drivers and passengers must wear seat belts while the vehicle is in motion. The law also requires that children under 2 years of age be secured in child passenger safety seats and children 2 to 4 years of age be secured in safety seats or by safety belts.

Speed Limits In Texas
The following limits are generally observed, unless otherwise posted.

Drinking And Driving Laws In Texas
In Texas, the Blood Alcohol Limit is 0.08 or any amount which results in loss of normal use of mental or physical faculties from each “drink.”

A first DWI offense is a Class B misdemeanor. It is punishable as a fine not to exceed $2,000.00, confinement in jail for not less than 72 hours nor more than 180 days, and a driver’s license (or driving privilege) suspension of not less than 90 days nor more than 365 days. The court may probate the jail sentence and waive the driver’s license suspension on the first offense ONLY. Possession of an open container of an alcoholic beverage increases the minimum term of confinement by 3 days to 6 days for a 1st offense.

Parking In Austin
If you are looking for a place to park in downtown Austin, all you have to do is look for the parking logo, seen to the right. These signs designate parking lots and garages that offer public parking.

All parking meters in downtown Austin have the same rate of 75 cents per hour. The meters will even give you a five minute grace period after the meter has expired before you get a ticket.

• AAA Austin Locations:
  Austin-North
  13376 Research Blvd, Suite 108
  (512) 335-5222
  
  Austin-South
  4970 Highway 290 West, Suite 310
  (512) 444-4757
  
  Emergency Road Service: 1-800-AAA-HELP (1-800-222-4357)
  
• Police, Fire, Ambulance (emergency): 911
  Austin Police Department (non-emergency): 311