A road traffic accident (RTA) is the fear of any driver. Unforeseen situations on the road can happen to anyone, regardless of the level of caution, driving experience, driving speed or class of car. And it’s good if only the hardware was damaged in the accident, because human life is much more important than a machine. But what to do if an accident occurs while car sharing? The driver's liability and damages will be discussed. And also about the algorithm of correct actions in case of an accident in a rental car.
Procedure in case of an accident on car sharing
Unfortunately, none of us are immune from road accidents. Therefore, car sharing operators are always loyal to responsible tenants in the event of force majeure. The main requirements of any company are to report an accident in a timely manner and fully process it.
If the customer gets into an accident with a rented car, his steps are as follows:
- turn on the hazard warning lights and display an emergency sign;
- call the traffic police officers to register the incident according to the full protocol, and if there are victims, then an ambulance;
- Be sure to call the contact center and notify the operator. He, in turn, will clarify the list of documents he needs (protocol on administrative violation, certificate of accident, etc.) and remove the car from the system so that other customers do not see it;
- the papers received from the traffic police officers, put them in the glove compartment of the car, or take them to the operator’s office - depending on the instructions given to them;
- After registering an accident, park the car in an authorized place and complete its rental in the application. If the car is not drivable, call a tow truck.
Remember, only the right actions will help reduce financial losses as much as possible, or even avoid them altogether. The rental agreement signed upon registration contains clear instructions on what to do in the event of an accident.
Registration of an accident
An accident while car sharing is a special case, so make sure that the traffic police officers provide you with a complete set of all documents. Their list can be clarified with the operator, in the help section in the application on a smartphone or directly in the contract. If possible, record everything that happens on your smartphone camera.
In most cases, you will need to provide the following documents:
- Protocol in which an administrative violation is registered. If an accident involving you was caused by another driver, be sure to take a copy of it.
- A special definition is a document provided in place of the old certificate of a traffic accident. make sure that the document contains all the necessary information, including the exact date/time and location of the accident, a list of all participants, their personal data (driver's license numbers and registration), as well as a report on the examination for alcohol intoxication.
The entire set of documents must be delivered to the service office. This needs to be done as quickly as possible. If the accident occurred in the evening or at night, try to deliver the documents the next morning. Some services insist on urgent delivery of documents, limiting the period to a maximum of one day.
At the central car sharing office, you will need to fill out an insurance form. It will also need to be attached to the set of documents. If possible, record all forms, protocols, definitions and insurance statements on your smartphone camera - just in case!
What not to do if you crash a rental car
First of all, you cannot leave the scene of the accident until its registration is completed. Moreover, one cannot remain silent about damage to the car. All carsharing vehicles are insured under MTPL. At the same time, some operators have cars with a CASCO insurance policy.
There may be special rates that do not provide for any additional penalties in the event of an accident. The next tenant, seeing the defect, will inform the operator. And your omission will be fraught not only with a fine, but also with a ban on using the service.
Liability in case of an accident on car sharing
In strict accordance with the agreement, some time after the accident, the operator will debit the amount from the card linked to the account. Its value will directly depend on the tariff and rental conditions. Compensation for damages for a broken car includes a traffic police fine, a fine provided by the company, and payment for car repairs, if this is specified in the terms of the contract.
If the driver was drunk at the time of the accident, then a large sum will be added to the fine, most often in the amount of 100-200 thousand rubles. In this case, the culprit of the accident shall compensate for the damage caused to third parties independently.
Accident on car sharing Yandex.Drive
The maximum amount of compensation after an accident will be 30 thousand rubles. If the damage caused to the vehicle is insignificant, then the customer pays its full cost. In case of severe violation of the rules, which resulted in the evacuation of the car, an additional 50 thousand rubles will be charged.
Accident on car sharing Delimobil
In the event of an emergency, a customer using the “Basic” tariff will reimburse up to 30 thousand rubles. If the “Fairy Tale” rate was chosen for the booking, all penalties are excluded. But provided that the driver complied with the terms of the rental agreement - did not transfer control of the car to third parties, was sober, and completed the procedure for registering an accident. Otherwise, he will compensate the losses in full.
BelkaCar car accident
Drivers using the BelkaCar service always have the opportunity to connect. It provides for a fixed fine in the event of an accident, which will amount to 15 thousand rubles.
In other cases, if the damage caused to the car does not exceed 100 thousand rubles, the amount of the fine will reach 30 thousand rubles. And for damage over 100,000 rubles, another 15% of the amount of damage established by the examination will be added to 30 thousand. If the customer rented an elite car at the BelkaBlack tariff, then he will pay no more than 50 thousand rubles. for damage up to 150 thousand rubles, or 50,000 rubles. + 15% of the amount of damage if the car suffered more than 150 thousand rubles in damage.
If you get into an accident while drunk
If you crash a rental car while intoxicated, you will have to pay the following fines:
- 30,000 rubles and deprivation of rights for up to 2 years - in accordance with current legislation.
- The fine for the operator is 50-250 thousand rubles. The conditions and amount of penalties for operators differ and are always specified in the contract: “Delimobil” – 100 thousand rubles (the same amount is prescribed for the “Anytime” car sharing operator owned by the operator).
- “Belka” – 50 thousand, BelkaBlack – 150 thousand rubles.
- “Yandex.Drive” – 100,000 + 50,000, if the car had to be towed after an accident.
Full fines without any restrictions are also imposed if the driver crashes into another car or object and then refuses to undergo an examination for alcohol or drug intoxication. Most often, after the investigation, car sharing registers the client as unwanted and no longer provides its services.
What if the car is damaged through no fault of the car driver?
Before you get into your reserved car, you should carefully inspect it for dirt, dents, scratches and various types of damage. If no defects are found, feel free to start moving. But if they are present and not indicated in the application, click the “There is damage” button.
Do not be lazy to inform the support service about any identified defects before the start of your trip. This way you will save yourself from compensation for repairs and a fine for damage not caused by you. And the operator, in turn, will find an unscrupulous driver and apply the maximum amount of penalties in accordance with the agreement.
If the car sharing car was damaged in an accident through no fault of the tenant, you should adhere to the established rules. It is necessary to witness the accident and be sure to wait until all documents are completed. When the operator receives the necessary papers and evidence of the tenant’s innocence, the money for a simple car will be returned to his card.
What to do in case of minor damage?
In case of minor damage without an accident, you should immediately call the car sharing operator. If the accident was not the client’s fault, you will not have to pay anything. For minor damage caused by the driver (for example, a small scuff on the bumper after hitting a lamp post while parking), you will most likely have to compensate for the damage, although there is still a chance of avoiding expenses. Sometimes, with the most minor damage, car sharing companies can forgive a conscientious client who immediately reported the incident. And vice versa, if the driver tries to hide what happened, he will have to not only compensate for the damage, but also pay a fine.
Traffic police fines for an accident in a rental car
Not a single car sharing company covers fines issued by the traffic police. For any traffic violations in car sharing, including those that lead to an accident, a fine is issued to the driver of the vehicle. According to the law, if no people were injured in the accident, the tenant will suffer administrative punishment, and if a person dies, he will face criminal liability.
If the car sharing driver fled the scene of the accident, he also cannot escape punishment. The entire route of the vehicle is visible to the operator, so it will not be difficult for him to identify the offender who tried to conceal the accident. And in this situation, the consequences will be disastrous, since this violation, in addition to a fine, provides for the deprivation of a driver’s license. And a car sharing service may file a lawsuit for compensation by the tenant for damages for a broken car, despite the existing insurance.
How car sharing monitors drivers and cars
Short-term car rental services are becoming more technologically advanced
Russian car sharing is already among the world leaders in terms of the number of cars. We may soon take first place, since Mail.ru Group is entering this market after Yandex. The company acquired a controlling stake in the YouDrive service and plans to increase its fleet from 2.5 thousand to 10 thousand cars within a year. IT giants are setting the trend for the use of modern information technologies in car sharing: in the near future, the emphasis in business will shift towards big data analytics. But for now, operators are improving ways to protect their property from theft and damage, and are also introducing scoring solutions to assess driver behavior.
EXPLOSIVE GROWTH OF THE MARKET
Car sharing in Russia appeared in 2012 and in six years has become a popular way to move around the city. You can rent a car for a short period of time not only in big cities; the list of settlements is constantly growing. According to Thrushering data as of June 1,
the number of cars in Russian car sharing exceeded 28 thousand, with the capital accounting for more than 80% of the vehicle fleet
The market is growing rapidly financially as well. In 2021, its volume amounted to 7.4 billion rubles; in 2019, according to UBS forecasts, it will almost triple – to 20.1 billion.
Alexander Zakharov, head of key client relations at AutoSpetsCenter Group of Companies:
– Now the short-term car rental service in Moscow has become three times more popular compared to 2021. The car sharing market continues to develop both in the capital and in other megacities - St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Samara, Krasnodar, as well as in resort regions during the holiday season - the cities of Caucasian Mineralnye Vody, Adler, Sochi, Sevastopol.
One of the reasons for such explosive growth is the development of telecom technologies, which made it possible to make this service mass. At the same time as attracting consumers, car sharing operators solve the problem of protecting their assets – cars – from unauthorized use. This means that companies must monitor:
- The condition and location of the vehicle.
- The condition and behavior of the client driver.
- Security of the IT system and accounts.
STANDARD MINIMUM EQUIPMENT
The first task - monitoring the condition and location of the car - is solved by standard means. To do this, first of all, companies implement transport monitoring systems. As a rule, they include:
- modules for remote control of vehicle systems (ignition, opening and closing doors, stopping the engine, etc.);
- GPS sensors that allow you to track the location of the car.
Sergey Sknarin, executive director of MonitoringAuto:
– The vehicle monitoring system tracks all vehicle movements, ignition, location, route, speed, etc. Additional tracking sensors allow operators and managers to monitor whether the vehicle has moved beyond the permitted travel contour. As soon as the car crosses it, a signal is sent to the dispatcher, and he, in turn, can remotely turn off the car’s engine using the engine blocking relay. In addition, GPS beacons (bookmarks) are installed in the car to help find the car in case of an emergency. This is a minimum set of security systems for car sharing, allowing companies to protect vehicles from theft.
External damage is recorded by car sharing clients themselves - this is a common condition for all existing services.
If you don't inspect your car before driving, you could find yourself guilty of something you didn't do and pay a serious fine.
To protect cars from other threats (damage and theft of equipment, smoking in the cabin, garbage), car sharing companies often install additional equipment, for example:
- video recorders;
- smoke detectors (protection against smoking in the car);
- surveillance cameras;
- "panic" buttons.
Press service of Matreshcar carsharing:
– To protect vehicles and increase customer safety, almost all Matreshcar vehicles are equipped with CCTV cameras. What is happening inside the car is monitored by the security service (which helps prevent violations and also respond competently in an emergency), as well as a facial recognition system that gives a signal if the car is used by anyone other than the renter.
DRIVING STYLE
One of the problems with car sharing is the behavior of drivers on the road. Some customers drive aggressively, while others have little experience - these factors increase the likelihood of an accident. To analyze driver behavior, companies use telematics and scoring. This assessment method is being actively implemented in the Yandex.Drive service, which entered the car sharing market at the beginning of 2021, but is already a leader in the number of cars. The press service of the RSpectr company provided details about testing an algorithm that helps drivers adjust their driving style.
Yandex.Drive press service: – Algorithms process information from sensors in cars, for example, the force when pressing the brake or the angle of rotation of the steering wheel. Based on a large amount of data received, the algorithm understands how carefully each driver drives the car. Now we are teaching the algorithm to evaluate sharp accelerations, braking and other dangerous maneuvers on the road, for example, frequent lane changes. If your driving behavior turns out to be aggressive, we will warn the user and limit the use of the fleet.
If, after all the restrictions and warnings, the driver does not change his behavior, he will be disconnected from the service forever. The predecessor of this algorithm was a system that automatically warns the driver about speeding.
Similar methods are used in another service (RSspectr wrote about security problems in the taxi service sector in the spring). For now, driver behavior analysis systems are operating in test mode.
They use scoring programs and other services. As A. Zakharov told RSpectr, Delimobil blocks the accounts of unscrupulous motorists, and BelkaCar increases the cost of travel for those who regularly violate the speed limit.
But scoring is used not only for punishment. As S. Sknarin explained, some companies create a loyalty system based on safe driving: “The price of a trip may depend on the driver’s accuracy on the road. This coefficient is calculated thanks to monitoring sensors. But such loyalty programs are still rare in Russia.”
FIGHTING FAKE ACCOUNTS
There are often reports in the media and the Internet about the black market for accounts for using car sharing services. For such accounts, other people's personal data obtained from various sources is indicated. Sometimes scammers find vulnerabilities in software and can take advantage of someone else's account.
To combat this phenomenon, car sharing companies choose various methods. As stated, Matreshcar uses CCTV cameras with facial recognition. A. Zakharov told RSpectr that YouDrive has also already implemented an account verification system: “The company requests a photograph of a face, artificial intelligence checks the resulting image with a profile in the database, which allows reducing the number of fake accounts to 2%.”
“We are not aware of any cases of purchasing existing Drive accounts,” the company’s press service noted, adding that accounts in the service are protected in the same way as in Yandex itself.
The fight against fake accounts worries not only market players, but also government agencies.
The State Traffic Safety Inspectorate is developing a bill and software that will allow the personalization of taxi and car sharing drivers
Deputies also have questions about the short-term car rental market. A Just Russia proposed holding parliamentary hearings with the participation of experts and the traffic police on the problems of legislative regulation of carsharing. This initiative concerns the protection of the rights of both service consumers and operators themselves.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES
Car sharing is still in its infancy in terms of technology. In the future, new solutions will emerge to improve the safety and usability of rental cars.
A. Zakharov said that the MonGeoConnect solution is currently being developed, which will allow you to control a car via a smartphone.
Alexander Zakharov (Group of Companies "AutoSpetsCenter"):
– The peculiarity of the technology is that driving a car does not require a wireless Internet connection: the interaction between the user’s smartphone and the on-board control unit occurs via a short-range radio channel. Using this system will reduce the number of possible technical failures, time spent dialing an operator and will provide a higher quality level of customer service.
Igor Heresh, CEO of UBI Technologies, told RSpectr that in the future the main focus for carsharing will be the analysis of accumulated data. However, now most car sharing operators are still working to ensure software stability.
Igor Heresh, CEO of UBI Technologies:
– Under heavy load, failures, freezes and other inaccuracies of IT solutions occur, and this slows down the process due to unnecessary proceedings on such issues. Therefore, while some are in search of solutions to “childhood diseases,” others are beginning to actively use the fruits of Big Data to create new services. Further, on the basis of the collected high-quality analytics, it will be possible to create a technological marketplace of solutions. This is the future.
Interesting prospects will open up for car sharing after the introduction of semi-autonomous transport, which will be able to independently navigate the city over short distances at low speed.
Then, when making a reservation, you won’t have to go to the car yourself, but wait for it to arrive. Delimobil has already announced that they plan to add an autonomous car to their fleet in the summer of 2021.
Image: RSpectr, freepik.com
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