December 17th, 2010
Carrentals.co.uk
Warns Winter Tyres Required For Ski Holiday Car Hire
Carrentals.co.uk,
the popular car hire price comparison website, is warning skiers and snowboarders
they should ensure their winter tyres and snow chains are included in their holiday
car hire package as booked or face excessive costs or non-availability.
The
majority of vehicle hire companies class snow chains and winter tyres as optional
extras on winter holiday hire packages, with customers expecting these to be included
at ski resorts. On finding they are not supplied, skiers are forced to place last-minute
orders, incurring excessive extra costs. If not available, drivers are at risk
of accidents without the appropriate tyres.
For
example, vehicles rented at Geneva or Milan may not be used for winter sports
packages, and winter tyres are often only necessary on mountain roads. As a result,
a specific order is requested, with booking in advance recommended to ensure availability
at a good price.
According
to Gareth Robinson, Managing Director of Carrentals.co.uk, legal requirements
for the use of winter tyres can be confusing, as individual countries have different
laws. Many skiers expect car hire booked online in advance at the destination
airport to automatically include the correct tyres. However, this is rarely the
outcome as these are regarded as part of a ‘snow pack’ to be booked at extra cost
dependent on the supplier.
Legal requirements and recommendations regarding
the use of winter tyres are as follows:
Country
– Winter Tyres Requirement
Austria
– Compulsory from 1st November to 15th April
Canada
– Not mandatory,
but highly recommended for snowy conditions and mountain driving
France
– Not mandatory, but recommended for mountain driving
or snowy conditions
Italy
– Recommended during the winter months due to unpredictable
weather conditions
Sweden
– For Swedish-registered vehicles, mandatory between
1st December and 31st March
Switzerland
– Not mandatory but, if involved in an accident, drivers may be fined for not
using winter tyres
Germany
– Not compulsory, but drivers may be fined for not having
fitted winter tyres if involved in an accident
USA
– Not mandatory, but recommended for mountain driving
or snowy conditions
In
addition to winter tyres, snow chains should be carried and fitted when conditions
require.
Gareth
added, “Snow chains can be hired at extra cost from car rental companies but ,
as each company usually only holds a limited number of sets , it may be easier
as well as cheaper to buy a set at a local supermarket, which can be returned
if not used,”
Current
ski deals include car rental at Salzburg Airport from £21 per day, from £15 per
day from Milan Malpensa Airport; from £26 per day at Calgary Airport and from
£24 per day from Geneva Airport.
Carrentals.co.uk
compares car rental prices from brand leaders including Alamo, Auto Europe, Budget,
Holiday
Autos and Sixt. To
compare the best ski deals visit www.carrentals.co.uk. .
*All
prices are based on 7 day rentals from 10 January 2011 and are subject to change.
About
Carrentals.co.uk
Carrentals.co.uk
was launched in February 2003 and grew to become one of the UK’s leading online
car hire companies by 2006, when they also booked their 100,000th customer. In
2007 they re-launched the site to create the first major online price comparator
in the travel industry.
Using
the latest technology the new Carrentals.co.uk site now searches
over 40 different car hire websites, providing an impartial comparison of the
best prices available.
In
2008 they won the Traveloution Award for the best car hire website beating off
competition from established rivals. Websites searched include Alamo, Thrifty,
Sixt, Holiday
Autos, Opodo, EBookers,
Carrentals.co.uk and EasyCar, with the Carrentals.co.uk site quickly comparing
prices and allowing customers to refine their search by car type or provider.
carrentals.co.uk
Car Hire Excess Insurance provided by Questor Insurance Limited
Source:
Carrentals.co.uk
Back
to index on Carrentals main page
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