In a previous post, we covered the role of insurance in car rentals and why they matter. However, while getting coverage and liabilities for accidents is great, there are also the smaller accidents that could really spoil your vacation if you are using a car rental.
That is why it can be very helpful to ask your car rental company about what emergency tools their vehicles have. Granted, they may not have everything. But the sooner you ask, the sooner you can figure out what you can do in case you run into the proverbial bump in the road.
Now, here are top three tools that practically any vehicle (rental or otherwise) should not be without:
1. Spare Tire
Obviously, spare tires are warranted even in a rental vehicle. Before choosing a vehicle, make a point to check where they put its spare tire. Check the spare’s quality as you would if it was your own car. That includes asking about tire pressure, taking a look at its expiry date and simply having a keen eye for any damage.
Feel free to also ask the service provider regarding any policy they may have on making tire changes on the road. Are you allowed to do it yourself or do you have to contact them and consider bringing the rental to the nearest auto shop? Either way, you are better off knowing now than later!
2. Jumper Cables
Unlike spare tires, jumper cables are more likely to be overlooked because a dead battery would normally be something a car rental company should take extra effort to avoid. If a car is regularly maintained and in proper working order, then you should have no problem leaving it even overnight.
Still, there are plenty of ways you can end up draining a battery by accident. Things like leaving the lights, air-conditioning or radio on for too long will do this. So no matter how new and high-end your rental car is, avoid taking any chances and make sure you have something in the event that you overestimated the amount of power your car still had. This is where jumper cables come in!
3. Contact Number
Last, but definitely not the least, you should have the means to contact your car rental company. This will be your real lifeline in any accident, big or small. The good news though is that decent providers will give you a clear run-down on what to do in case of emergencies involving their vehicle.
Make sure to have this process well-rehearsed because every provider will have some significant differences. A small car rental business can keep it as simple as just contacting its owner or their secretary. Larger ones, however, may even have an app (although they could also have waiting times in terms of responses). But in all cases, having the emergency contact process memorized or written down somewhere is extremely important.
In the end, it just goes to show that getting a rental car for your vacation is not an excuse to forget important safety precautions when going on road trips. Sure, you could probably try and make this easier and just hire a driver with the rental. That does not mean these tools will prove any less pivotal!
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