All You Need To Know To Safely Rent A Car In Dubai
While renting a car is a great option when it comes to getting around at your travel destination, it’s something which can be a little difficult to understand especially when you are in an area where you know little about the local regulations.
The great thing about Dubai is that it is a very multicultural environment and one of the reasons for this is that it shares a lot of regulations with other first-world countries. When it comes to vehicles and road safety laws it is very straightforward and driving is not a problem at all for visitors. However, these are some important things you should know about renting a vehicle in Dubai to make the whole process a little bit easier.
1. Eligibility
When it comes to driver eligibility UAE has regulations that are similar to what you would find in the USA, Europe, and Australia. The minimum age requirement is 18 and you need to have a valid driver’s license. However in the UAE cars are left-hand drive vehicles, similar to the USA, you drive on the right side of the road and pass from the left. The regulations regarding foreign visitors driving in UAE have recently changed and made it easier for tourists to drive during their visit. If you are coming from a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) approved country then you can use a valid license from your home country to drive in the UAE, otherwise you will need an international driver’s license to be eligible. Ideally, you should get an international driver’s license from your home country rather than applying for it in the UAE as it could be a lengthy process and you don’t want to spend time managing a license application during your vacation.
2. Hiring A Driver
The UAE is a big place, even if you are in a certain city such as Dubai, there’s a lot of areas to cover and driving can be hectic. Even though all the states in the UAE have a fantastic road infrastructure, the vehicles professionals at www.uaedriving.com suggest that you opt for a chauffeur-driven vehicle rather than driving yourself. Especially if you are traveling with children and plan to travel by road a lot, it can save you a lot of hassle in driving and finding your way around the area. However, if you are renting a luxury vehicle or a high-end sports car, then you might want to enjoy the pleasure of driving those vehicles yourself.
3. Insurance
Just like any other major city in the world, every vehicle is required by law to have some kind of insurance. If you are renting a vehicle then it won’t be your responsibility to get insurance for the car, though it’s always a good idea to check that the vehicle has valid insurance and to find out what kind of insurance it is. Different types of insurance policies will give you varying degrees of protection. Your rented vehicle might have basic insurance which only covers the costs of the other party’s loss and doesn’t cover the car owner themselves and doesn’t offer any protection in the case that the car is stolen or damaged. Comprehensive policies will give you protection for any kind of loss or damage and will provide complete compensation for vehicle damage and bodily injuries for everyone involved.
4. Type Of Vehicle
It really comes down to personal preference and to some extent your specific requirements. For instance, if you are traveling with a large family then your best bet is to go for a minivan or at least a large SUV. However, if you are going to be staying in main city areas and you are only a couple of people a small sedan will work just as fine. If you are feeling a little adventurous, luxury car rentals in Dubai offer a range of luxury vehicles and supercars which can also be very fun to drive on the spacious highways.
Just like any other country in the world when it comes to renting a vehicle there is a huge variation in price depending on the kind of vehicle that you are getting though as a general rule of thumb, the longer your rental period is the cheaper it will cost. If you add on a driver with the vehicle that is an additional charge but it’s also very convenient. Dubai is a large place and you can expect to put quite a few miles on your rental in just getting from A to B, though don’t worry about fuel costs since fuel is much cheaper than what you would find in most parts of the world. Also, be sure to have a look at the market before you finalize a rental so you can get the best price.
