If you’re traveling by plane in the coming months, there are chances that you’ll be renting a car when you land. It is rather stressful to drive an unfamiliar car in unfamiliar city. But with the following tips, you can be prepared and relaxed. Before You Go. Your safety preparations should begin with making your rental reservations. You can find all necessary information on car safety ratings on web sites such as that operated by Consumer Reports.
Jeff Beyer, senior vice president and chief communications officer of Farmers Insurance says that your insurance company may also have safety statistics on various makes and models.
Always rent a car suitable to your needs. If you are traveling with a family and lots of luggage, a compact car may not provide you with enough room. So you should make any special requests when you arrange your reservation. For instance, if you know that you will need a child’s car seat for your little kid, be sure to reserve one in advance
Don’t expect the car to be provided with one as it’s purely your trouble.”You’ll also want to check with your insurance company to find out how your coverage works for rented cars,” says Beyer. You should find out whether your insurance covers service calls on rental cars, and ask your agent if you will need to buy any supplemental insurance from the car rental company. He adds that by doing a little research before leaving on your trip, you may be able to save money by not purchasing unnecessary and overly expensive insurance through the car rental company. Some credit cards provide supplementary insurance if you use them to pay for the car rental. Consult with your credit card company for details.
When You Pick Up Your Car. Carefully read the contract to make sure that you’re getting the rate and the car you were promised when you made the reservation. Ask the agent what to do if the car breaks down. Also ask for a map and driving directions from the agent if you are not sure how to get to your destination.
Get into the car and check it for any damages. If you find anything strange, call to this the attention of the rental company before taking the car off the lot. In this case you so won’t be penalized for damage which was caused not by you.
Before Leaving the Lot. Get acquainted with the car. Be sure you know how to work the headlights, turn signals and interior lights. Check the windshield wipers to be sure they work and that there is washer fluid. Otherwise you can be get caught in rain or snow with bad wipers.
Adjust the seat and the mirrors. Check the seatbelts; are they available for every passenger? Are they easy to latch and unlatch? If you like to listen to the radio at the wheel, you’d better tune your favorite station before you hit the road.
Enjoy Your Drive. If possible remove all valuable belongings from the car when it is parked, as rental cars are attractive goals to be robbed. If you must leave you luggage and other belongings in the car, lock them in the trunk, out of sight.
Having planned ahead and taken few easy precautions, you’ll easily rent a car. And the last tip: carefully pack your luggage not to leave anything for the return trip home.