During the coronavirus crisis when we were ordered to stay at home, the major worries around motoring were how far from home and for what purposes we could drive, securing a new commercial car loan, and keeping the car battery charged by regularly turning over the engine.
With restrictions eased, we’re emerging into a changed world with impacts on our work life, home life and recreation. With the Chief Medical Officer stating that many of the coronavirus measures will be needed to be continued for some time and some, permanently, how does that affect our driving and motoring lives? How do we engage in COVID-safe motoring?
According to the experts, no environment can be realistically and conclusively described as ‘safe’, but there are precautions we can take around our cars and driving trips that will create a safer environment for ourselves and our passengers.
Measures to Consider
As have many Australians, we’ve been staying across the Government advice and directives around coronavirus. But we’ve also done some additional deep dives and research to provide our customers with information that may assist individuals in deciding the best practices for their own lives.
Here’s a few points we’ve sourced for you to consider:-
- The COVIDSafe App – we’ve all been advised to download this app as it will provide health authorities with a very valuable resource in contact tracing. If you haven’t already downloaded it, it may be a good idea to do so and make sure you have it active when you are out and about and have passengers in your vehicle.
- If you regularly give other people rides and lifts in your car, other than members of your own household, take extra precautions and avoid having anyone with COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms into your car. As per the continuing messaging, anyone with these symptoms should seek testing and self-isolate until they receive their test results.
- Hand hygiene. This has been central to the messaging and many people have taken to wearing gloves and regularly using hand sanitiser. Having a bottle of hand sanitiser in your vehicle is a great idea and remember to use it when you get back into your car and before you touch say the seat belt or steering wheel.
- Hygiene around refuelling and after using ATMs when paying for fuel are particularly important at all times.
- Car cleaning. If you do regularly take friends, work mates and others in your car, take special attention to regularly clean surfaces with a disinfectant or a suitable cleaning product for that surface, just in case.
- If you are a professional driver – ride-share, taxi, limo, hire car – there will be specific cleaning protocols to govern your industry. Check out safeworkaustralia.gov.au for tips.
- Physical distancing. This is a tricky one if you take passengers other than your own household in your vehicle. There are scenes of passengers riding in the back seat which could be a good idea. Look out for advice on government and motoring body websites around this issue as we have not sourced any specific information. Keeping a 1.5m distance from a passenger in a small to medium car is more of an impossibility than a challenge. If you’re worried about your own health, perhaps rethink offering people a lift.
- Buying a car. As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, car auctions went online, car dealers moved to a contactless sale process and some new car dealers also moved to online sales. The motor industry will no doubt be working to create COVID-safe workplaces for both their staff and customers so you will be seeing changes when you visit a car dealer.
- Car servicing. Car service, repair and maintenance services have continued through the crisis but with measures implemented as directed. When getting your car serviced, you may like to ask if the customer lounge is still open and if there are any changes around courtesy cars and providing rides to local train stations and transport.
Many car shows and motoring events have been postponed and cancelled and future events will likely have a whole different look.
Sourcing a Car Loan or Motor Vehicle Finance
At Jade Car Loans, we continue our business car loan brokers service with ‘business as usual’ as we offer a contactless service to our customers and have implemented measures to provide a safe workplace for our team.
During these unprecedented times, securing a favourable business car loan interest rate becomes even more crucial. While we still need to buy new cars, upgrade our vehicles, and add to our fleets, our Jade Car Loans consultants are on hand to discuss your car finance requirements and guide you to the best rates available.
If you’re ready to talk for business car finances, contact Jade Car Loans at 1300 000 003 for a discussion with one of our consultants.
