Bad drivers abound, you just need to leave your house to see them. But are you a bad driver? Maybe not, but you most likely do have poor driving habits that could be damaging your minibus hire. Here are a few bad habits to try to avoid when you hire a minibus.
Not Avoiding Potholes
You won’t find a city that doesn’t have its share of potholes, so it’s best to avoid them. However, some people – especially those who drive larger cars like SUVs, minibuses and pick-up trucks – think that driving over potholes won’t damage their vehicle. But all you need is to drive over one which is worse than you thought, and you could pop a tyre, or dent a rim.
Driving Over Speed Bumps Too Fast
Speed bumps exist to regulate driving speed – especially in residential areas or outside schools, nursing homes or hospitals. They’re designed to damage the undercarriage of your car if you drive over them too fast. However, if you hired a minibus and thought that it was big enough to clear most speed bumps, you might end up damaging it and incurring costly repair fees with your rental company.
Not Using Your Hand Brake
Also known as a parking brake, the hand brake has been specifically designed to keep your vehicle immobile when you park it. However, some people have the unfortunate habit of not engaging this mechanism, especially when they put the car into the parking gear. This can be risky, especially if you’re parked on a slope. To avoid your minibus from rolling forwards or backwards after you’ve parked it, spend the extra two seconds it takes to engage the hand brake.
Driving Until The Tank Is Almost Empty
Sometimes when you hire a minibus, you’re required to return the vehicle with a full tank. But other rental companies add the cost of a full tank to your invoice instead. If your rental company does the latter, driving until your tank is almost empty is not a good idea. Not only can you risk running out of petrol, but the engine can overheat because petrol also acts as a coolant.
You can drive your own car the way you want to – you own it. But when you hire a minibus, you need to drive it safely so that it doesn’t get damaged while in your care. That means avoiding more than accidents – it includes avoiding potholes and going over speed bumps too fast. Minibus hire can be affordable, as long as you don’t damage it with bad driving habits.
