Checking a rental car before driving off

In an emergency there is no time to try things out. If you break down at night on a country road, you need to find the hazard lights within seconds and know where the hi-vis vest and warning triangle are. In an unfamiliar car, perhaps labelled in another language, that can take surprisingly long.

In daylight and calm, in the rental company's car park, the same search is easy. A few minutes make an unfamiliar vehicle familiar. That also helps while driving: knowing where everything is keeps your mind free for unfamiliar traffic.

There is also a very practical reason: damage you photograph and report at pick-up is documented. Photos with date and time are simple evidence if there are questions on return. Legal or contract questions are for the rental company or an advice service – this entry cannot cover them.

Tyres: look at the tread and for damage such as bulges, cuts or embedded objects. A tyre that looks clearly flatter than the others is a warning sign. Lights: switch on dipped beam, high beam, indicators, brake lights and hazard lights once; for the brake lights a fellow traveller or the reflection in a window helps.

Equipment: find the spare wheel or repair kit, jack, hi-vis vest, warning triangle and first-aid kit – depending on what is provided and what the country requires. Some cars have only a repair kit instead of a spare wheel. You want to know that beforehand, not with a flat tyre at the roadside.

Controls: find out how the hazard lights, headlights, wipers, handbrake and fuel cap work and which fuel goes in. Using the wrong fuel is a typical and expensive mistake with rental cars. The fuel type is often marked on the fuel flap – ask if in doubt.

What must be carried in the car differs from country to country: hi-vis vests, warning triangles, first-aid kits, daytime lights, winter equipment or motorway vignettes. Whether you need an international driving permit also depends on the country. Check these rules before the trip with official sources or motoring organisations and ask the rental company what is in the car.

Check child seats from the rental company yourself: does the seat suit the child's age and size, is it undamaged and complete? Install it according to the instructions found on the seat or in the vehicle, and then check that it is firmly fixed. Do not rely on someone else having done it correctly.

Traffic rules themselves may differ too: right of way, speed limits, roundabouts, driving on the left. A quick look at the official guidance before the trip saves stress at the first junction.

Do not drive off with obvious defects. These include damaged or badly worn tyres, faulty lights, brake problems and dashboard warning lamps that do not go out after starting. Asking for another vehicle costs less time than a breakdown on the road.

If possible, do not pick up the car in the dark or completely exhausted after a long flight. In the dark you miss damage, and fatigue makes driving an unfamiliar car on unfamiliar roads much riskier. If it cannot be avoided, still take time for the key points: lights, hazard lights, fuel type.

Save the rental company's breakdown and accident number in your phone and write it down as well. In an accident with injuries the first steps are always: secure the scene and call the local emergency number (112 in the EU). Only then inform the rental company.