Top Towing Risks You Should Know About
Although towing services are considered a savior that can help you tow your car to a safe place timely, it is imperative to understand that there are also some risks involved in this process. Towing a vehicle, trailer, or boat is not easy, and only a professional can do it correctly. Therefore, you need to hire an experienced company to tow your vehicle to a safe location; otherwise, an inexperienced individual can impact your’s and your vehicle’s safety. Inexperienced towing can lead to expensive vehicle damages that might become too costly for you.
There are a few risks involved in towing a vehicle, and careful drivers can minimize those risks and make the experience much less stressful. Unfortunately, not many are aware about the various types of risks in the towing process. This blog post highlights those risks and helps you find a way to mitigate those risks to avoid any damage.
Improper Equipment
Towing demands experienced hands and proper equipment to tow the required vehicle safely. If your towing company doesn’t have the required tow trucks, machines, tools, and other essential equipment, you are putting your vehicle in danger. If the equipment is not suitable, you can face serious problems once both of the vehicles are on the road.
Therefore, make sure that your towing company has the necessary equipment and is prepared before allowing your vehicle to be towed. Don’t exceed the weight limit of the towing vehicle. This can increase the risk of an accident as well as cause damage to your vehicle. If the tow bar is at an angle, you can face problems when braking. Braking can lead to jackknifing and many other issues on the road.
Turning
Turning when towing a vehicle is different from turning a regular vehicle. While towing, the tow truck driver must take wider turns at corners and curves. This is because the wheels of the trailer will be closer to the inside of the turn than your own vehicle’s wheels. Moreover, they should make turns gradually. Sharp and speedy turns can result in a collision with the greenbelts or boundaries of the road.
The type of equipment used will also determine the turning angle. For example, if the trailer tongue is too long, it will be more difficult to turn.
Limited Visibility
Another common risk is bad weather and limited visibility. It is hard to recover a vehicle in poor visibility conditions due to snow or rain. Therefore, tow truck drivers have to be extra cautious in bad weather. Many towing companies have towing mirrors that allow an extended view of the towed vehicle. This is particularly helpful if the towed vehicle is wider than the tow truck.
In limited visibility, turn on your fog lights and use pre-arranged hand signals to communicate so that nothing is misinterpreted. Drive slow and avoid overtaking to prevent accidents.
Loading And Unloading Time
The loading and unloading time of a disabled vehicle can be challenging, and heavy forces have to be applied. There can be severe consequences if this step is not completed properly with the help of proper machines and equipment. Performing a tow in this step, without the proper equipment or without using the proper procedure can cause injury or damage to the vehicle and the tow truck.
About Us
When you are away from your home, struggling to get your car fixed or towed, you need an experienced hand to tow your car to a safe place.
Action Towing is one of the leading towing companies in Edmonton, providing towing and roadside assistance services. Action Towing is a full-range professional company that offers city-wide towing and does not leave you and your car midway. We try our best to deliver the most reliable towing and roadside assistance services regardless of where you are in the city and where you need to go. To get in touch with us, click here.
