Holidaymakers have been warned to think twice before hiring quads, beach buggies, motorbikes and mopeds abroad. Ahead of the summer holiday season, the holiday car rental experts at StressFreeCarRental.com have cautioned tourists looking for fun, warning that the vehicles can be dangerous.
Vehicles like mopeds are readily available and accessible to tourists abroad, especially in party destinations like Greece and Thailand. Still, many are unaware of the dangers and are quick to ignore road rules when using them, the hire company said.
It said deaths and accidents involving tourists who hired the vehicles abroad last year meant holidaymakers would be best advised to avoid hiring them unless on a supervised excursion. It said that while abroad on holiday, tourists can forget the importance of following road rules, failing to take basic safety precautions like wearing helmets, and even drunk driving, which can have serious consequences.
The company cited a case last year where a British tourist was jailed after he struck and killed a woman with a beach buggy In Ayia Napa while drinking and on drugs. In Phuket, Thailand, there were more than 500 reports of motorbike accidents involving tourists in the first two months of 2023 alone, it said.
After a surge in accidents and deaths at the holiday destination, Bali is soon set to ban foreign tourists from using motorcycles altogether. The Governor of the Island has said foreigners using them are ‘disorderly’ and ‘misbehave’. Holidaymakers have also been warned that standard travel insurance policies often don’t cover riding these vehicles abroad, leaving those who get in accidents with unaffordable medical bills should they get into an accident.
A spokesperson for StressFreeCarRental.com said: “Although hiring motorcycles and quads is popular in tourist destinations, the number of tragic accidents involving them proves just how dangerous they are. Tourists should read the fine print on their insurance policies and take all the necessary precautions to protect themselves. Many factors can invalidate their insurance, including not wearing a crash helmet or hiring an unregistered vehicle.
“The risk to life is higher when driving on unfamiliar roads, especially in small, open vehicles which offer little protection, so failure to take proper care will inevitably lead to severe and fatal injuries. Although the rules may seem more relaxed while abroad, under no circumstances should tourists consider driving under the influence because the vehicles are still dangerous machinery with the power to harm both driver and passers-by. Getting a taxi, or hiring a car, is much safer and should be considered where possible.”
