On the evening of Tuesday October 22, a Porsche rented in Luxembourg caused a fatal accident in the town of Pavillons-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis), near Paris. The driver of the car, who was driving at excessive speed according to several witnesses, collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle, killing the 44-year-old woman who was at the wheel. The at-fault motorist then fled in another vehicle.
This tragic incident has cast a veil over the rental conditions of luxury vehicles. Because treating yourself to a racing car, for a weekend for example, is anything but complicated in Luxembourg. A Porsche 911 Cabriolet costs around 1,400 euros, with a 600 km package included. Only conditions: pay a deposit of 5,000 euros via imprint of a bank card and be at least 30 years old.
You can also opt for an Audi S3 Quattro 310 “with stratospheric performance” according to a rental company's website, for 750 euros per weekend. Requirements? Be 23 years or older and have a valid driving license for at least three years. “It is complicated to prohibit the rental of such cars in Luxembourg, because freedom of trade prevails,” said Paul Hammelmann, president of Road Safety. The fact remains that on a moral level and in terms of the image of our country, this type of incident raises questions.
“We obviously deplore this terrible fatal accident and our thoughts go first to the victim,” explains a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Economy, contacted by The essentials. To put in place special conditions for access to a profession (luxury car rental), it is necessary to be able to justify, at community level, the reason why these criteria were put in place, to respond to certain risks for example. However, renting a car (luxury or otherwise) is not in itself a risk that would not already be covered by other means.
“I always do a detailed presentation of the vehicle, which lasts about half an hour, to show the many options, and a test drive with the future driver. When the person doesn't inspire confidence in me, I refuse to rent the car to them. This is also part of my job,” assures the manager of a rental company. The amount of the deposit may vary depending on the value of the vehicle. “We sometimes ask for deposits of 12,000 euros, by card imprint or transfer. This amount is obviously returned to the customer at the end of the rental.
