Think the most dangerous place to drive a rental car is a winding cliff-edge road? New data shows airports rank among the top hotspots for car hire accidents in Australia, responsible for 17% of all incidents in the top 20 list.
According to five years’ worth of internal data from leading car hire comparison site, VroomVroomVroom, hyper-urban areas such as city centres and airports are among the most common places to scuff up a rental car, followed by regional cities and beach towns, with the highest reported incident being ‘bumper, trim and panel damage’.
Airports Flagged as Danger Zone For Tourist Drivers
Interestingly, airports in general have the highest rate of accidents among rental car drivers, with 43 accidents logged over the last five years. Brisbane Airport and Melbourne Airport recorded 17 and 11 accidents, respectively, which amounts to 28 of the 43 total airport accidents counted in the study.
Mike Boyd, CEO at VroomVroomVroom, said, “People often assume accidents happen on long stretches of highway or remote outback roads, but our data shows that busy tourist hubs and even airports are among the most common spots, meaning traffic jams and slow-moving traffic must be approached with great caution and extra care must be taken in urban areas.”
“Many people are also trying to navigate new terrain after a long flight or in a completely unfamiliar vehicle, and that’s a recipe for small accidents, especially in high-traffic areas and here at VroomVroomVroom, we always recommend finding time to rest between leaving your flight and picking up your rental car.”
Top 20 Rental Car Incident Hotspots in Australia
Mike continues, “This study allows us to see the areas where drivers, especially those in new terrain, may need to take extra precautions — not just for their safety and the safety of the vehicles, but also for the safety of those around them.”
What to Do If You Total Your Rental Car
As we slowly exit the height of winter and with Australia’s warmer months on the horizon, VroomVroomVroom’s CEO and expert, Mike Boyd, goes on to share best practices for hiring a rental car in the lead-up to your next long weekend road trip in Australia.
Safety first
Boyd said, “Are you well rested? Are you fed? Are the tires pumped and seatbelts all working? These are all questions you should ask before hopping in the car, even if an expert car rental service has given you the car, always double check your vehicle, it isn’t going to hurt anyone.”
“Do not come straight off a long flight and hop into a rental car – check into a hotel and rest if needed. Being sleep-deprived on the road is how disasters can happen. If anything does happen, pull over safely, check that everyone is okay, and call emergency services if needed.”
Document everything
“Before you get in the car, or drive it, take some photos of its condition — this ensures you can prove how you found the car if needed for whatever reason down the line. Although it’s unlikely, you don’t want to pay for a scratch that was already there when you picked up the vehicle.”
“If anything bad does happen, stay calm and take clear photos of any damage, note the time and location, and collect the contact details of anyone else involved.”
In a pickle? Contact your rental provider immediately and the authorities (if needed)
“Once you’ve done all you can to make sure everyone’s safe and the documents and facts are in order, you should then notify the rental provider. Most will guide you through the next steps and file an incident report. If it’s a multi-car accident or someone has been injured, you’ll also need to report the incident to the authorities. If you hold a rental vehicle excess insurance policy with a third party insurer like Prosura, you should also notify them of your intent to claim.”
Have a plan B:
“Hopefully, you can get another car, but have a plan of action in case you’re somewhere remote – you’ll need somewhere to stay the night and make a plan. It might be worth taking reserve money on your trip in case you need to catch a flight back to a city – Australia is a big place and sometimes a flight is the only reasonable option.”
“If the accident happens in a remote area, you might be thirsty or hungry. It’s wise to always have additional food, water, a phone charger and fuel.”
