Getting a tow will feel stressful, especially if you aren’t familiar with how the process works. Towing companies utilize different techniques and equipment to safely transport all types of vehicles. Certain situations like accidents, breakdowns, or illegal parking also require specific protocols.
Towing cars and small vehicles
The most common method is wheel lift towing. It involves lifting the front wheels and allowing the rear wheels to roll behind. Wheel lift trucks secure the front wheels on a metal plate that rises with a hydraulic lift. Safety chains and straps further secure the lifted vehicle to the wheel lift rig. This approach is safe for front-wheel and all-wheel drive cars. However, for rear-wheel drive vehicles, dollies or flatbed towing are better to avoid damage.
Dollies are platforms that raise the drive wheels off the ground and position them to roll freely. The non-drive wheels remain on the road. Flatbed towing service New York is the safest option but requires loading the vehicle onto the truck’s raised platform. For breakdowns or accidents, two drivers carefully inspect vehicles for damage before transporting them. They assist in maneuvering the car into an optimal position for towing.
Towing medium and large trucks
Medium-duty trucks require more specialized equipment. Many wheel lift trucks have extendable wheel forks to accommodate larger front tires. Larger hybrid lift systems raise trucks by both wheels and frame rails for increased weight capacity. For even heavier large trucks, medium-duty wheel lift trucks are ineffective. Instead, heavy-duty rotator tow trucks are the preferred technique. Rotators use a boom system that goes underneath the disabled truck and lifts it off the ground completely. The truck then rotates 360 degrees for optimal positioning onto the flatbed.
Sometimes heavy-duty trucks weigh so much that tow companies team up. One rotator truck lifts the front, while a second lifts the rear. Chains, nylon straps, and hydraulic restraints keep the truck secured. With tractor-trailers and big rigs, detachable dollies allow the cab and trailer to be transported separately. For overturned trucks, rotator cranes or winch systems right the vehicle before towing.
Emergency towing services
In an accident or impound situation, towing requires additional care and coordination with law enforcement. Two drivers prioritize extracting damaged vehicles safely without compromising a potential crime scene or investigation. Special training prepares them for dealing with hazardous roadside conditions. For serious accidents, police may request documentation including photographic evidence of the scene from multiple angles. Tow operators carry accident reconstruction tools like digital cameras, measuring tapes, chalk, and cones. This aids police in piecing together what occurred for insurance and legal purposes.
Before towing, all hazardous fluids are stabilized or contained if possible. Specially certified cleanup crews handle dangerous chemical spills from tractor-trailers. The tow company strictly follows procedures for the preservation of evidence.
The impounded vehicles, two drivers ensure proper documentation of mileage, vehicle identification number, license plate, and condition. They photograph the vehicle thoroughly to record any present damage. Special care is taken in transporting and securing impounded vehicles for liability reasons.
