Dubai
2023/08/23
Renting a car is the best way to ensure your freedom of movement if you do not have transport and do not want to use public transport. But driving can bring more than just pleasure. Sometimes, there are frustrations - car accidents. They can be a minor annoyance or quite a big problem. Either way, if you are involved in an accident with a rental car, you need to know how to act under the law properly.
We have developed a step-by-step list of what to do if you are involved in a car accident. Read our material carefully and try to remember it in general terms.
Getting into an accident and fleeing the scene is the worst decision imaginable. If trouble happens, the very first action you take is to stop your vehicle by parking it on the side of the road. This way, you will protect yourself from further collisions with oncoming cars that you may be obstructing. If you are stopped, and the other party to the accident chooses to flee, you should immediately look at their license plate number to report it to the police later.
If you stopped your car in an accident and can no longer drive, you should have a special red triangle in your trunk that you should place on the road at least 5 feet behind your car so that other cars can see it and go around the accident scene.
The next step is to check on all passengers - in your car and others involved in the accident. If passengers are hurt and need medical attention, immediately dial 999 to call the police. When it arrives at the accident scene, it will take all necessary steps to help the victims.
If the accident is insignificant and the damage is not severe, you can notify the Dubai Police through a special app. In this situation, please provide detailed information about the car and send photos of the damage. If you can not use the application, go to the nearest police station or an authorized Enoc filling station. A report will be generated after that.
Once you have been given a police accident report, you should immediately call the company where you rented the car to report the accident. If the accident is serious and a tow truck is required, the rental company will arrange to tow the vehicle. If the damage is minor, you can leave it alone after making a police report. In addition, you should give a copy of the report to the company's representative to assess the damage to the car.
If you are not the cause of the accident and this is reflected in the police report, then you do not have to pay the company where you rented the car. However, if you are at fault, you must pay according to the company's terms. Many companies allow you to include accident indemnity insurance in the rental amount. Otherwise, if the car has minor damage, the company will estimate the damage to the car first and calculate the amount of compensation.
Regardless of the extent of the accident, you should never flee the scene. If you drive away, it automatically becomes an offense, and you will have to pay a fine of AED 500 in this situation (this is in the case of a minor accident). If you drive away from the scene of a major accident, the punishment may not be limited to a fine, as such a case is heard in court.
If you collide with another object (not a car), it is classified as an accident. In this situation, you also need to call the police on 999 so they can make a report. Based on the police report, damages are paid.
Accidents are an unpleasant part of driving, but no one is immune from them, and such unpleasant situations happen to everyone. It does not matter what vehicle you drive - a rental car or your own; in any case, you should know perfectly well the instructions on how to act correctly in this situation. Also, remember another essential rule - always try to cooperate with the police while drawing up the protocol, and do not argue with the authorities. In this way, you will not acquire additional legal problems.