FOLLOWING an easing of lockdown rules, getting back to business means making sure you have hygiene measures in place under the ‘new normal’.

DiscoverCars.com surveyed almost 400 car rental providers to find out what Covid-19 safety measures are in place to keep customers safe.

Over three-quarters (84%) of the car rental firms polled said that they carry out specialist sanitation on each of their cars across all locations to protect the wellbeing of their customers.

Furthermore, 27% of companies offer additional Covid-19 protection such as antibacterial gel and wipes, or face masks and gloves for customers in their cars completely free of charge.

• Gel 60%
• Mask  46%
• Wipes 17%
• Gloves 10%

Meanwhile, 12% provide them at an extra cost.

The car rental providers said they sanitise and disinfect the whole car, from the steering wheel to ventilation or radio systems. They also take steps to follow social distancing rules in their shops.

They go on to sanitise and cover steering wheels and seats in plastic while car keys are given to customers in plastic bags.

Some providers, depending on where they are based as each government around the world has different regulations, ask customers to sign a document stating that they do not have Coronavirus symptoms or that they have not been in touch with anyone who has had them.

Providers in some countries require a note from a doctor that the customer does not have Coronavirus.

If a customer states, when dropping a car off, that during the time they were using the vehicle they started to experience Coronavirus symptoms or were in touch with someone who displayed such symptoms, the car goes into quarantine.

After the quarantine period is over the car is sanitised and rented out again.

Covid-19 protection is the third most popular customer request in DiscoverCars.com booking system. This comes just after automatic transmission and air conditioning.

Online check-ins where possible and contactless handovers are also very much on the increase among customers.

Covid