a) In case of accident

One should act according to the indications provided above and adopting the same precautions, expressly pointing out to the other persons involved and to the Police Officers that the vehicle is a hired vehicle, and providing the trade name and address of the hire company.

Keep any bill or receipt for expenses which one is forced to pay for the vehicle.

Notify the hire company of the existence of the accident, its circumstances and consequences, and follow their instructions.

If the accident is serious, one should seek the advice of an expert, generally a specialist lawyer.

Responsibility for the accident, if it exists, will belong to the driver of the vehicle, unless it is due to the faulty performance or a defect of the car, a circumstance which must be proved by the driver. If this occurs, the responsiblity lies with the Company who owns the vehicle.

b) In case of breakdown

In case of breakdown, the hire company must be notified immediately and their instructions must be followed. All receipts for any sum paid must be kept.

Breakdowns are normally to be paid for by the Insurance Company, unless they are caused by bad use of the vehicle. Demand repayment from the company for any sums paid for the repair of breakdowns caused by the faulty condition of the vehicle.

In some cases, the hire contracts themselves carry instructions on what to do in case of breakdown. Similarly, they may provide for a small sum to pay for repairs.

If the mechanical fault is very serious, a technical report on its nature would be of interest.

c) Traffic Infractions

The driver is also responsible for traffic offences, unless these are due to faults in the vehicle or to any documentation which the driver does not know of and cannot be found.