Renting a Car During COVID-19.
Is it safe to rent a car during pandemics?
Are hire cars safe if you use them alone or with family, friends or business partners? What is the risk of COVID-19 infection associated with airborne particles and surfaces that can be touched, including steering wheels, door handles and buttons, and leather or cloth surfaces such as seats and dashboards?
Compared to travelling by train, bus or aeroplane because of the potential risk of exposing yourself to airborne infectious particles, a private car is the safest way to travel.
But before renting a car, you should make sure the company has introduced new or improved forms of sanitation.
In many cases, rental companies tend to follow the epidemiological guidelines for disinfection recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The process involves disinfecting surfaces with agents approved by the Environmental Protection Agency to kill SARS-CoV-2. If you rent a chauffeur-driven car, make sure the driver and passengers wear masks to cover their mouths and noses.
Because scientists say the greatest risk of COVID-19 transmission comes from face-to-face contact, you should wear a mask and remember to keep a social distance when you come to pick up your car.
Even when you have made sure that your car rental company meets all the criteria for epidemiological safety, follow a checklist to keep yourself as safe as possible during your journey:
1) Roll down your car windows. It’s always a good idea to ventilate the car interior.
2) Disinfect the dashboard with alcohol wipes.
3) Wash your hands if possible – and don’t touch your face before you’ve washed it.
Take care!
