How to Stay Safe When Travelling With A Rental Car

Hire Car Safety Tips: How to Stay Safe When Travelling With A Rental Car

 

Travelling in a rental car is a liberating way to explore a new destination. To ensure the best rental car experience possible, extensive research is key. Spending time to prepare before you set off can save you from trouble further down the road. Not to mention that preparing ahead also allows you to enjoy the trip more when you’re actually on it.

So how can you best prepare for a road trip with a hire car? Our team at Innovahire recommends keeping the following hire car safety tips in mind to ensure that you can enjoy a safe and secure journey on the road.

Find A Reputable Rental Company

Using a reputable car rental company is essential to your safety during the road trip. When you’re driving a car you’ve never used before, you want to be absolutely sure that it’s been regularly serviced and tested.

Look for car rental companies with a reputation for high-quality vehicles and responsive customer service. The latter is crucial, as the car rental company will be your point of contact should you encounter difficulties with the vehicle along the way.

A good car rental company will also offer car insurance options and roadside assistance. Finding a reliable place to rent your cars will give you and those travelling with you peace of mind on your road trip.

Inspect The Car

Before getting behind the wheel, carefully inspect the vehicle, preferably in the presence of a representative from the rental company.

First, do a visual inspection of the outside of the car and make sure there are no dents, scratches or broken lights. Then, ensure that the tyres all have the correct pressure and that the car is braking properly. You should also make sure there is gas in the tank. Finally, take some time to familiarise yourself with the controls of the car.

Report all damages to the rental company before driving, as you might be charged for any unreported damages, even if you’re not responsible for them.

Avoid Driving While Fatigued

Fatigue is one of the biggest risks on the road, and avoiding driving while tired can prevent disaster. All the fun and excitement of your holiday can get your adrenaline going, and this can increase fatigue over the course of a day. Combine this with jet lag if you’re travelling to a different time zone, and it’s inevitable you’ll be feeling more tired than usual.

Fatigue can cause you to lose focus while driving, and get you into accidents. To mitigate the effects of tiredness, take turns driving when possible, and don’t forget to stop every now and then. To make the most of your recovery during these breaks, you want to stretch, drink water and have a small snack. A 20-minute nap can also help you feel refreshed.

Similarly, if you’re looking to film travel vlogs or take photos along your journey, we highly recommend only doing so while you’re a passenger – not while you’re driving! We also recommend staying agile with your tech use. For instance, instead of pulling your laptop out and using clunky video-editing software, you can focus on enjoying the company you’re sharing, making great social media posts with an Instagram reel maker, and enjoying the sights and sounds of the places you’re passing through.

Simply put, staying alert and present while driving will help you react quickly to any unexpected obstacles on the road and keep you and those in the car safe.

Plan Routes In Advance

Knowing the routes you’ll be taking over the course of the holiday will save a huge amount of time and stress out of navigating on-the-go. Prepare a map before you go and try not to take unnecessary detours. Nobody enjoys getting lost on a road trip.

While driving, we highly recommend using a GPS system that provides up-to-date directions and live traffic updates. Find one that works offline, as you might not always have mobile data during the trip. Of course, don’t totally rely on GPS systems, as they can lag and make mistakes. When in doubt, use common sense.

Secure Your Luggage

When driving, any loose or unsecured items can move around and cause distractions, or interfere with the controls of the vehicle. Properly securing luggage is key to safety when driving a rented car.

Anything you don’t need access to should ideally be stored in the boot. If you need to store some of your things on the passenger seat, make sure it’s tied down properly so it doesn’t jump up if you need to brake suddenly or the road gets bumpy. Smaller items like pens and keys should be stored in the glove compartment.

Know The Local Laws

When travelling overseas or even across states, it’s important to be aware of local driving laws. Breaching them can get you fined or even imprisoned.

Most states and countries have laws that are specific to them. For example, some areas regulate the use of headlights during the day or have different wording on their road signs.

Always be aware of the differences of the laws in the place you’re travelling to before driving a rental vehicle there.

Understand The Local Weather

Weather can have a drastic effect on safety when driving. Heavy rain can make roads slippery, making driving at speed dangerous. Snow can also affect mobility and make it harder to see where you’re going.

Research the local weather patterns at the time of year you’re planning to visit and choose a vehicle that’s appropriate for these conditions. When driving in unfamiliar areas, it is always a good idea to pay attention to local weather forecasts and have access to emergency broadcast channels that will alert you if weather conditions change dramatically.

Travelling to new places with a rental car is a fun way to spend your time on holiday. By following the tips in this article, you can ensure that you’ll be safe as can be for your next unforgettable road trip with a rental car.

Choose a reputable car rental company, do a thorough inspection before renting a car, secure all your bags properly, don’t drive when tired and understand local laws and weather conditions.

Thoroughly prepare for your trip, so you and those you’re travelling with can focus on having a great time.