Should Rental Cars have Winter Tires?

Now that it’s almost time for that snow to start falling, you’re probably outfitting your car with those handy winter tires, and that’s great because you should be! Making your vehicle as safe to drive as possible is very important in the winter months, since driving conditions are much harsher. While you are busy making YOUR vehicle that much safer, have you ever thought about winter driving safety when it comes to rental cars? Many car rental companies do not equip their vehicles with proper winter tires, leaving many customers in a difficult situation when they pick up their rental vehicle. So this begs the question; should car rental companies in Canada be required to fit their vehicles with winter tires?

Consider the weather

There are some car rental companies that may make the argument that since their area does not see as much snow in the winter months as other areas do, they do not need to outfit their vehicles with winter tires. This argument may hold up for some customers, but when it comes down to it, they are still putting their customers’ safety at risk. Even if an area only gets a little bit of snow and ice in the winter months, that’s still enough to create dangerous driving conditions. The fact is that customer safety should be the top priority for each and every car rental company, and equipping vehicles with proper winter tires is a logical step in that direction.

Marketing points

Equipping your vehicles with winter tires makes sense from a marketing perspective as well. If a car rental company offers winter-safe vehicles, including that fact in their advertisements and marketing materials is a big bonus. Customers want to know the car they are about to rent is safe to drive in every way possible, and assuring them they are not going to be caught in a winter snow storm without proper tires is a great way to build their confidence in your company. A positive experience with your car rental company means customers will undoubtedly recommend you to their friends and family.

Avoiding collisions means saving money

This one is fairly obvious. When a customer is involved in a collision while driving a rental car, the company from which the vehicle was rented is going to lose money. A vehicle outfitted with proper winter tires, being able to get better traction, brake easier, and accelerate faster, is obviously less likely to be involved in a crash, and thus is less of a risk for the company.

It’s simple; car rental companies need to look out for the safety of their customers, and supplying them with vehicles that are safe for winter driving is one of the best ways they can do just that. It’s easy to ignore the need for winter tires if the winter weather in your area is not particularly harsh, but this is a risk that companies should never take.