May
8th
Author: admin |
Files under Uncategorized
Whenever there's some kind of airline incident -- crash, an injury or death from severe turbulence, an overshot runway -- some wag always points out that it's safer to fly than to drive. And while plane crashes are horrific, so too are car accident statistics -- which mostly involve drivers in their own cars, with which they are presumably familiar, driving on roads they more than likely know.
Then think about the times you got into a rental car late at night after flying for three or four hours. You're tired, hungry and a bit preoccupied.
| the rules of the road -- and your car's idiosycracies. |
You're in a car you've never driven before on a route you don't know. It's raining, the streets are slippery, and have no idea where the car horn is, much less the hazard lights or the windshield wiper lever. And you're late. Or it's snowing and you're from Dallas and you don't really know what steering into a skid means. Or you're driving in a country whose language you don't speak and the signs are pictorial, but you still have no clue what they mean.
I vowed I'd never be cavalier about driving a rental car after driving from Calgary to Banff in a blinding snowstorm at 2:00 AM. An intelligent person would have waiting the storm out at the airport, but I needed to get to a photo shoot early the next day, or so I justified my decision to myself and the photographer I was with. I drove as slowly as I dared and cursed my stupidity frequently, using adrenaline to keep my reflexes sharp. When we arrived safely I swore I'd never take a risk like that again -- an oath I broke in England recently when I nearly got blindsided as I entered a high-speed roundabout, unsure of the right-of-way.
This is what you should know before you even turn over your rental car's engine:
- Know the rules of the road -- and your car's idiosyncracies. Car rental companies are doing their best to encourage safe driving practices through information. The "Avis Cares" program, available at participating locations, includes a driving information leaflet with local speed limits, police emergency numbers, and a list of radio stations for news, traffic, and weather reports. Some car rental companies hang a card from the rear-view mirror with tips on rules of the road in that location -- for instance, whether you can make a right turn on a red -- as well as where the headlights, brights, windshield wipers, hazard lights and door locks are. If you don't see a card like this, look in the glove compartment for the Vehicle Operating Guide.
- Find out exactly where you're going and how you're getting there. Bring a hard copy of directions. Some car rental companies can give you point-to-point directions. If they can't, print them out yourself before you leave from a web site like MapQuest. Or rent a car from Hertz, which has just began deploying its next-generation "NeverLost" in-car satellite navigation system in North America (installation in France, Germany, the U.K. and Australia is slated for early 2000). At the heart of the system is a Global Positioning System receiver, a computer map and database that directs travelers to their designated destination. The new units feature an expanded database, voice prompts in seven languages (English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese), and an Instant Locate Button that displays the vehicle's exact location on the electronic map. Cars equipped with NeverLost cost an additional $6.00 a day, a piffle compared with their functionality. On the horizon: a real-time information system being developed by Siemens that relays local traffic information and suggests rerouting in the case of accidents, congestion and construction sites.
- Rent the biggest car you can, and book models with the industry's latest safety features. According to travel industry consultant Susan Stowe of Caldwell Associates in Washington, D.C., corporate contracts regularly mandate dual-passenger airbags and antilock brakes. Some companies, like DuPont, prohibit the use of compact cars altogether. Others require the renting of a cellular phone but forbid their use while driving (they're for SOS purposes only). Many insist that all corporate travelers get enrolled in programs like National's Emerald Aisle, which gives as-available car class upgrades -- since bigger cars are safer cars.
- Be especially careful abroad. Car accidents are in fact one of the leading causes of death and serious injury for the international traveler, especially in developing countries. There, poor road conditions, appalling vehicle maintenance, unfamiliar traffic patterns and unpredictable drivers all conspire against even they most conscientious driver. Compared to US accident rates, which are less than three per 10,000 vehicles annually, that figure is 17 times higher in Guatemala and 8 times higher in Mexico. To reduce the risk, travelers who intend to drive in foreign countries should rent cars equipped with safety devices like ABS brakes, seat belts and air bags. Inspect tires, brakes and lights before you get going. And whenever possible, avoid night-time travel, when most accidents occur.
- Think and drive defensively. Always have a cell phone in the car for an SOS call if you have a mechanical problem or think you're being followed or about to get in trouble (see below). If you get lost, don't pull over to the side of the road to look at your map or directions. Drive to a gas station, or a well-lit and busy public place, such as a restaurant. Keep your doors and windows locked at all times. Keep your valuables either in the trunk or glove compartment.
- Beware the scam artist. Don't drive in the curbside lane in a big city; in the time it takes for a red light to turn green, a criminal could smash you window and rob you. Don't play good Samaritan. If someone motions for help as you drive past, call 911. If you get bumped from behind, don't stop. Drive to the nearest police station or gas station.