Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
surance coverage under their personal car- insurance policies; check your own policy
carefully. Foreign visitors should check their travel-insurance policies to see if they cover
foreign rental cars. Rental companies charge about $15 per day for this extra coverage.
Insurance against damage or loss to the car itself, called Collision Damage Waiver
(CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW), can cost $10 to $20 per day (and may have a de-
ductible). The CDW may be voided if you cause an accident while breaking the law,
however. Again, check your own coverage to see if you have comprehensive collision in-
surance.
Some credit cards cover CDW for rentals up to 15 days, provided you charge the entire
cost of the rental to the card. Check with your credit-card company to determine the ex-
tent of coverage.
Most of the big international rental companies have desks at airports, in all major cities
and in some smaller towns. For rates and reservations, check the internet or call toll-free:
Alamo
( 800-222-9075;
www.alamo.com
)
Avis
( 800-633-3469;
www.avis.com
)
Budget
( 800-218-7992;
www.budget.com
)
Dollar
( 800-800-4000;
www.dollar.com
)
Enterprise
( 800-261-7331;
www.enterprise.com
)
Hertz
( 800-654-3131;
www.hertz.com
)
National
( 800-227-7368;
www.nationalcar.com
)
Rent-A-Wreck
( 877-877-0700;
www.rentawreck.com
)
Thrifty
( 800-847-4389;
www.thrifty.com
)
CAR SHARING
There are over two dozen car-sharing programs in the US. These programs usually
require a membership fee (one-time and/or annual), plus a per-hour car-rental
charge. Two of the biggest are Zipcar and Car2go, but there are many that operate
only within a city or a few cities. They can be an economical way to rent (or share) a
car if you only need wheels for an hour or two at a time.
Road Hazards
A few backcountry roads of the Pacific Northwest region are in open-range country where
cattle forage along the highway. Deer and smaller wildlife are more of a road hazard on
roads all around the region, however. Pay attention to the roadside, especially at night.
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