Whatever your vehicle needs, we have the answer

To book, simply get in touch in whichever way suits you:

• On the website: fill in a quick request
• By email: send a request to service@fleetcare.ru
• Download the request form
• By phone: 8 800 775-89-36 free of charge from anywhere in Russia.

Our specialist will contact you within 1 hour to confirm the booking and agree the details. A confirmation email with a personal link to track your booking will be sent to you.

Do not worry. Taking the right steps will not only save you time and unnecessary costs, but could even help protect your health.

Follow these steps in order:

1. Switch off the engine, apply the parking brake (handbrake) and turn on the hazard lights.
2. Place the warning triangle at least 15 m from the vehicle in built-up areas, and 30 m outside built-up areas.
3. Check that you, your passengers and the people in the other vehicle are unhurt. Even if you only suspect injuries, call an ambulance and the police straight away on 112. Give first aid if needed.
4. Write down the names, addresses and phone numbers of any witnesses.
5. If other vehicles cannot get past and the accident is blocking the whole road, photograph the scene and then clear the carriageway.
6. Take a wide shot of the scene, plus close-ups of both vehicles from every side, showing the number plates and, if possible, the VINs. The photos should clearly show braking marks, broken parts, the spread of debris from the damaged vehicles (glass, bumper trims and so on), and the road signs and markings.

Even if none of those involved have any claims and everyone is ready to move on, do not leave the scene without the written consent of the other parties. A simple free-form written note protects you not only from a traffic police fine, but also from any other party acting in bad faith and later claiming that you left the scene of the accident.

If you are in any doubt, call us. Our team will quickly advise you what to do and help with every step that follows.

If you find that a tree has fallen on the vehicle, a window has been broken, the paint has been scratched or similar, do not remove any trace of the incident under any circumstances. Call the police straight away and wait without touching anything. The traffic police cannot help here; you need regular police officers.

While you wait for the police, photograph and film all the damage, the position of the vehicle relative to the road and any objects around it, in as much detail as possible. If there are any witnesses, take down their passport details and contact information.

Even if none of those involved have any claims and everyone is ready to move on, do not leave the scene without the written consent of the other parties. A simple free-form written note protects you not only from a traffic police fine, but also from any other party acting in bad faith and later claiming that you left the scene of the accident.

The police officers who attend must draw up a report setting out the date, time and place of the incident, the circumstances in which it happened, and a full list of the damaged parts of the vehicle. When signing it, do not accept any wording stating that the damage is minor or that you have no claims against anyone. The officers must give you a certificate confirming the damage to the vehicle.

If you need help or advice, call us. We are here around the clock, seven days a week.

There are only three:

1. Driving licence
2. Vehicle registration certificate (STS)
3. OSAGO insurance policy

This list is set out in the Traffic Regulations (PDD), a document that has the status of a Federal Law. The law draws no distinction between corporate and private vehicles; they are entirely equal on the road.

Unfortunately, the legislation is imperfect and leaves plenty of room for differing interpretations, and often for abuse. The most common examples are below.

So where is your power of attorney? No power of attorney is needed to drive a corporate vehicle. This requirement was removed from the Traffic Regulations on 24.11.2012 by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1156 of 12.11.2012.

So where is your waybill? No waybill is needed to drive a corporate vehicle. This document is only mandatory when providing road transport services, that is, carrying out commercial or licensed carriage. The features of such activity are clearly defined by the main regulation in this field, the Charter of Road Transport (Federal Law 259-FZ of 08.11.2007):

1. Your official job title (according to the organisation's staffing schedule) is Driver.
2. You are carrying registered cargo (there are accompanying documents, the carriage is paid for and is the main purpose of your work).
3. You are carrying passengers (the people in the vehicle have tickets or other travel documents, and your job is to transport people).

A waybill is required if at least one of these conditions applies. However, when driving a corporate vehicle of any size or purpose, in 99% of cases you meet none of them, which means a waybill is not a mandatory document for you.

In the dry language of the law, this reads as follows:

A waybill is not a mandatory document for the driver of a corporate vehicle, because a corporate vehicle is a means of transport whose operation is not connected with directly carrying out commercial activity in the provision of road transport services, within the meaning of Federal Law No. 259 "Charter of Road Transport and Urban Ground Electric Transport" and Ministry of Transport order No. 152 of 18.09.2008, issued pursuant to part 1 of the article of the aforementioned Federal Law No. 259.

Note one very important point: legislation on transport carriage is based on default rules, and the waybill is only the tip of a large iceberg. In other words, by filling in a waybill you voluntarily declare yourself a participant in transport carriage. That means you are then obliged to meet all the requirements placed on carriers (of which there are a great many) and to answer for any breach of them. So never fill in a "fake" waybill after an accident or under pressure from traffic police officers. By doing so you voluntarily take on responsibility for breaches you did not commit and put not only yourself but also your company at risk. Remember that a waybill is a very serious document, intended for professional drivers.

If you fall victim to a traffic police officer overstepping their authority, find yourself in a difficult position, or are simply unsure what to do, contact us straight away. Our team is available around the clock, seven days a week. Prompt help can spare you a great deal of trouble later on.

OSAGO is compulsory third-party liability insurance. You cannot drive a vehicle without an OSAGO policy. You must always carry a valid OSAGO policy while driving, as it is one of the mandatory documents a traffic police officer will check. However, unlike the vehicle documents, you do not have to take the OSAGO policy away with you; you can keep it in the car.

Before you drive a vehicle, always check that the OSAGO policy covers you. If the policy names a limited number of drivers, no one else is entitled to drive the vehicle.

KASKO is voluntary comprehensive cover against any kind of damage to the vehicle, including theft. In an accident, KASKO covers all the repair costs even if you are at fault. You do not have to carry the KASKO policy with you, and the traffic police do not check it. Even so, it is best to keep it in the car at all times, along with a short guidance note and the insurer's contact numbers.

Please note that neither KASKO nor OSAGO applies if, at the time of the accident, the vehicle was being driven by someone not entitled to drive it, including anyone under the influence of alcohol. The insurer will refuse to pay out in such a case and will recover all costs from the person at fault.

If your vehicle is damaged in a car park by another road user (not necessarily another car; it could be a cyclist, a rollerblader or even a pedestrian), this counts as a road traffic accident and you need to call the traffic police.

But if the vehicle is damaged in some other way (snow or an icicle falls from a roof, a window is broken, tyres are slashed, and so on), this is not an accident but criminal damage, and it is the regular police who handle it.

If the person responsible has not been found or has fled the scene, look around for anything that may have recorded it. There may be cameras on nearby homes or other buildings (public offices, supermarkets and the like), or a parked vehicle nearby may have had a dashcam running. Point these out to the emergency service officers who attend; it will help you get compensation sooner.

Sooner or later, most drivers get the shock of finding their car gone from where they left it. There are really only two possibilities: either the car has been stolen, or it has been towed away. And a tow truck could have taken it to an impound lot for a parking offence, or simply moved it to a nearby street because it was in the way of snow clearing or emergency works. So there is no need to panic straight away.

Look around. Are road works going on nearby, and have other parked cars gone too? If so, ask the workers. If the cars were moved off the work site, they are most likely close by, and the workers will usually be able to tell you exactly where.

There may be a "No stopping" sign near where you left the car. If so, it has probably been towed to an impound lot, and you will need to be patient. Either way, the first thing to do is call the short number 112 or 02. In Moscow, you can also call the "Moscow Transport" contact centre directly on: (495) 539-54-54. If the car really has been towed, they will tell you which traffic police station to visit for the paperwork, and which impound lot your car is being held at.

If the information line tells you the car has not been towed anywhere, report the theft to the traffic police straight away. The vehicle details go into the surveillance system immediately, and the car may be recovered while the trail is still fresh.

Either way, the next step is to contact the police and file a theft report. Note that you should go not to the traffic police, but to your local district police officer.

In the report, state where and when you left the car and when you noticed it was gone. You will also need documents proving you own the vehicle (the registration certificate or PTS, plus a power of attorney). Once the report is filed, the police will start searching for the car.

If you have a KASKO policy, never leave the keys or documents in the car. Even collecting the car from the impound lot is much harder if the documents are locked inside, and if the car is stolen, missing documents or keys can be grounds for refusing your claim.

The Traffic Regulations state: "Before setting off, check the vehicle and, while driving, keep it in sound technical condition in accordance with the Basic Provisions on the admission of vehicles to operation…"

Admittedly, hardly anyone really checks the oil level, brake fluid and tyre pressure before every journey. Even so, it is worth giving the car a sensible minimum of attention. So what should you look at?

1. Damage while the car was parked. As you walk up to the car, take a quick look over the main areas:
   • is a tyre flat?
   • is the glass intact, and are there any signs of a collision or vandalism?
2. Once you switch on the ignition, check the warning lights and the on-board computer messages:
   • is there enough fuel in the tank?
   • does the washer fluid need topping up?
   • are there any warnings about an engine fault (check engine) or a low level of oil, brake fluid or coolant?
3. Once the engine is running, check the battery charge warning light (if fitted) and the exterior lights (a check engine light that stays on can also point to a problem here).

You can, of course, top up the washer fluid along the way, but ask yourself whether you will really get the chance, or whether it is better not to leave it. Driving with too little oil or coolant, on the other hand, risks a major repair.

Tyres: do not forget a sound spare wheel, along with the jack and the wheel brace to fit it. It also helps to keep a pair of work gloves, a clean mat and a bag for the tyre with the spare wheel; they come in handy if you have to change a wheel in bad weather. For cars fitted with run-flat tyres the spare wheel is not an issue, but remember that after a puncture you can only drive slowly and only as far as the nearest service centre, or the tyre will be ruined beyond repair. So never ignore messages from the tyre pressure monitoring system. Bear in mind that even a completely flat run-flat tyre is hard to tell from a properly inflated one; you can only check it with a pressure gauge.

If you set off in winter for a business meeting in another city, always take warm clothing. A ski jacket or a casual down jacket takes up little space in the boot but is invaluable if you have an accident or the car unexpectedly stalls en route. And if you do end up stranded in winter with the engine dead and help hours away, do not get straight out and leave the doors open. Without wasting time, call for help and keep warm; the cabin of a car with the engine off cools down very quickly.

Scheduled servicing, known more formally as routine maintenance, is a set of regular preventive checks devised by manufacturers to prevent sudden breakdowns and give the vehicle a long, reliable life.

The service interval is tied to the vehicle's mileage (typically every 10,000 to 20,000 km) and to its age; if the car covers little distance, it should be serviced at least once a year. Scheduled servicing includes a general inspection of the vehicle's components together with an oil change and replacement of other consumables. If any faults come to light during the inspection, they are repaired as well. This is precisely why a service centre cannot guarantee the exact cost or duration of the work in advance.

Tip: allowing a little extra time for the service visit and keeping your schedule flexible will save you unnecessary stress.

Important: servicing on time is essential not only to keep the vehicle reliable and safe, but also as a condition of keeping the warranty valid.

Most modern cars have a feature that reminds you when the next service is due. Always keep an eye on the on-board computer messages. Remember that no one but the driver is in a position to spot when servicing is due. You can book the service within a window of plus or minus 100 km or 5 to 7 days of the figure shown (most cars flag the next service well in advance and show the distance or time remaining).

Please note that once all the work is done, a note must be made in the service book and the counter reset for the next service. On some modern cars the service book is electronic and forms part of the on-board computer.

Most importantly, if you are not sure when your next service is due, get in touch without delay. In a few minutes our team will help you work it out so you never miss the most important date in your car's life.

Everyone is equal before the law, and drivers of corporate vehicles are no exception. When it comes to fines for traffic offences, however, there are a few differences compared with people who drive their own cars.

The point is that a fine issued in person by a traffic police officer is recorded against a specific driver (their licence), whereas offences caught by automatic cameras are tied to the vehicle's number plate and sent to its owner. That is exactly why you will never find a speeding fine for a corporate vehicle in your own letterbox.

But that does not mean the penalty simply goes away. The fine is sent to the legal entity that the vehicle is registered to with the traffic police. Depending on the situation, that may be your company or the leasing company. And the law is often far stricter with businesses than with private individuals, both in the size of the fines and in the penalties for late payment. The key thing to understand is that however long the fine takes to work its way through the red tape, the whole amount will ultimately come out of your own pocket, and it can be an unwelcome surprise.

So if you know for certain that an offence was recorded, do not take the silence as good news. Report it to the fleet manager without delay, so they can quickly chase up the paperwork before it goes astray.

Bear in mind, too, the steadily tightening measures against persistent offenders. When you drive a corporate vehicle you represent the company before the law and in the eyes of the public, so following the Traffic Regulations, respecting other road users and driving safely are not only legal duties but part of the company culture.

When is the right time to change your tyres?

Matching your tyres to the weather is clearly one of the most important elements of road safety. But how do you tell when the time has come, when the weather between seasons is so often unpredictable?

It is quite simple: leading tyre manufacturers clearly recommend swapping summer tyres for winter ones once the air temperature settles at around +5 C. In practice, that means changing to winter tyres in autumn once daytime temperatures stop rising above 5 to 7 degrees, and back to summer tyres in spring once night-time temperatures no longer drop below +5.

Why is that? It comes down to the physical properties of the rubber. Winter and summer tyres are made from different compounds. Summer tyres harden as the temperature falls and grip the road far less well than in warm weather. As a result, braking distances increase dangerously even on clean, dry tarmac, with no snow or ice involved. Winter tyres, thanks to their compound, stay supple even in a hard frost, but in warmer weather they become too soft, lose much of their grip and wear quickly. On top of that, while in winter every driver expects longer braking distances, in summer the gaps in traffic are much smaller, well below what winter tyres can safely cope with.

The law echoes this practical advice: driving on tyres unsuited to the season carries a fine, and the deadlines for changing over are set according to the local climate. In the central region, winter tyres must be removed by 1 May and fitted by 1 December.

Do not leave the tyre changeover until the last minute. Plan it well ahead; it saves you time and keeps you safe.

To book a tyre service, simply submit a request in whichever way suits you:

• On the website: fill in a quick request
• By email: send a request to service@fleetcare.ru
• Download the request form
• By phone: 8 800 775-89-36 free of charge from anywhere in Russia.

Our specialist will contact you within 1 hour to confirm the booking and agree the details.

When do you need to buy new tyres?

You may need new tyres if the old ones are damaged, badly worn or past their service life. The signs to look for are:

1. Damage: tears, cuts, bulges and any other damage that affects the carcass or shape of the tyre.
2. Tread wear: we recommend replacing summer tyres once the remaining tread is under 3 mm, and winter tyres under 4 mm, or once more than 50% of the studs are lost. Tyres with uneven tread wear must also be replaced, whatever the tread depth.
3. Age: tyres have a shelf life too. Even tyres that have never been used lose much of their performance after several years in storage. So if more than 5 years have passed since the date of manufacture, we recommend replacing them regardless of wear.

What to do if a tyre is damaged while driving?

Most cars carry a spare wheel on a rim in the boot, which you can fit if the unexpected happens. If you are not confident doing so, or there is no spare and the car cannot be driven, just contact us; our team will quickly send out roadside assistance and, if needed, arrange towing to the nearest service centre. Remember to stop immediately if a wheel is damaged. Even a few dozen metres on a flat tyre can seriously damage the rims and suspension.

If the wheel was damaged by hitting a pothole, kerb or other obstacle and you have a KASKO policy, be sure to report it as an accident. Bear in mind that most insurers only cover the cost of the tyre if the rim is damaged as well, so make sure the accident report records the rim damage along with any possible hidden suspension damage. If you are unsure how to proceed, just contact us; our team will talk you through the right steps and help you complete all the necessary paperwork.

How can you make your tyres last longer?

To keep your tyres reliable and long-lasting, just follow a few simple rules:

1. Keep the tyres at the recommended pressure. The manufacturer's tyre pressure label can be found on the inside of the fuel filler flap or on the centre pillar on the driver's side.
2. Keep an eye on your wheel alignment. If you notice the car constantly pulling to one side, take it to a service centre without delay for a check and diagnostics. Otherwise it quickly leads to uneven wear and premature tyre replacement, and driving with the suspension geometry out is highly unsafe.
3. New tyres need bedding in. For the first 300 to 500 km, avoid harsh acceleration and braking, and once that is done, have the wheels re-balanced.

Follow these rules and your tyres will give you long and safe service.