According to Decree 168/2024/ND-CP on car rental services, when a rental vehicle is fined, the vehicle owner (the vehicle rental unit) will be the first to receive notice from the authorities. The vehicle owner is then responsible for coordinating to provide information about the renter to determine who was driving the vehicle at the time of the violation.
Procedure for handling fines for self-driving rental cars:
Authorities send notice of violation:
In case of violation, the police will send a notice to the vehicle owner (car rental company) at the registered address.
If the vehicle is owned by an individual, this person will also receive a notification and will need to cooperate in verification.
Car owner provides renter information:
By law, car rental companies must keep a copy of the car rental contract, which includes the renter's information and the rental period.
Upon receipt of a notice of violation, the vehicle owner may provide the vehicle rental contract to the authorities to identify the person responsible.
Car renter receives notice and handles violations:
If the violation occurs during the time you rent the car, you will be responsible for paying the fine according to the regulations.
You can look up violations and pay fines online or directly at the police station.
After paying the fine, you should send a receipt or certificate of completion of the obligation to the car rental company.
Some important notes:
Before renting a car, you should ask the rental company to provide a traffic violation check to ensure the car has no previous violations.
After renting a car, if a fine arises, coordinate quickly with the car owner to avoid being made difficult the next time you rent a car.
If you do not take action, the car owner may refuse to rent the car to you in the future or even take legal action to seek compensation.
Thus, when renting a self-driving car, handling fines is not only related to the law but also affects reputation when renting a car later.
