subject: Ways To Avoid The Rental Car Blues [print this page] It is helpful to know a few things when you are renting a vehicle. There are rules that you must abide by and you will be responsible for certain things when you do rent a car. By knowing all of the various rules and responsibilities it will give you a better experience with the whole process. People do need to know that renting a vehicle is serious.
When they ask you to sign the rental agreement, take a minute. You should actually read that document so that you know what you are agreeing to. There can be a big difference between what the leasing agent tells you and what you actually end up agreeing to on paper. This does not mean that they are trying to fool you or anything, it just means that you need to read the fine print to understand.
You have a level of responsibility when it comes to renting a vehicle and it is important to make sure that you know that when you are the person renting the vehicle and your name is on the contract then you are assumed to be the driver of the vehicle and hold all liability as such. If for some reason you are looking to split the driving with another driver then you should clear this with the rental car company up front providing them with the other person's driver's license information and such but in the event of an accident you may still be held accountable if you are the person leasing the car. Do to this fact it is not advisable to have anyone else drive the vehicle you are renting.
You will need to take charge of checking the car out and seeing if there is any damage before you drive away from the lot. It only takes a simple look around to see if there are any dents or scratches. If you rent with a good company they will take charge of the inventory of issues the vehicle has. Many will actually walk around the car with you and take notes together so that you all see if there is anything or not. Generally if a rental has damage it will be already known but having awareness of it before is smart.
When picking up a rental vehicle you need to make sure you cover all the bases and know not only your rights but your responsibilities as well. Doing so can help to ensure you a happier rental experience.
