It’s no hidden secret, no matter where or what you are driving, you are required to stay within the legal requirements set out by that Country. If you break these rules, you will incur a fine. If you are driving a rental vehicle, the rules of the road do not change.
Today we will walk you through some rules to follow to ensure that there is no confusion.
In the UK, there are several things to be cautious about, from driving to parking, such as:
- Speeding offences – either by speed camera or hand-held speed gun. Level of punishment is determined by the zone in which you are speeding in.
- Parking offences – punishments range from fines to clamping
- Driving zones – you will receive punishment for driving in banned zones, such as bus lanes or stopping inside a yellow hatched box
- Dangerous driving – punishments will occur for those who drive dangerously, such as drinking and driving, do not wear their seatbelt or use their mobile phone
- Toll roads – it is an offence to not pay the correct fare when using a toll road
If you are caught breaking or bending the rules, the company from whom you have rented your vehicle from will receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) which will then be either forwarded onto you to pay, or the fine will be taken from your payment card on top of the vehicle rent price. A small admin fee could also be added. The sooner you pay your PCN, the smaller the cost of the fine will be. The fine will also be escalated with a Charge Certificate if not paid off within the notice you have been given. The same goes with parking tickets, the Dart Charge and Congestion Charge.
It may be that you are driving your hired vehicle in an area which is unfamiliar and so may be needing to use a map for directions. If you are using an app on your phone, ensure that all message notifications are switched off so that you don’t get distracted and be sure to not place any calls or return any texts unless you are pulled over and the ignition is switched off. It is important to remember that holding a mobile phone, as well as a sat-nav, is an illegal offence and you could be charged £200 as well as receiving points on your license, whether you are driving your own or your hired vehicle. It is worth purchasing a dashboard holder to hold these items in easy view so that you can drive with your eyes on the road.
By driving safely and obeying the rules of the road, you can avoid all charges, points and driving bans. Make sure you take extra care, especially in a rental vehicle, to drive with the flow of the traffic, not to stay in the fast lane unless overtaking, to wear your seatbelt and keep your mobile phone away until the ignition is switched off.
If you are looking to hire a van, get in touch with our friendly team at Pace Van Hire. With no deposit required, we will find the right deal for you. Give us a call on 020 7277 9853 to talk about a rental van in more detail.
