Tow trucks are used to take vehicles which have been damaged or which have broken down, to a nearby garage of vehicle dealership. Although these vehicles are somewhat lifesavers for many of us, they are not immune to getting involved in accidents themselves. In fact within the world of personal injuries, there are some who specialize as a tow truck accidents lawyer to help those who are injured in these kinds of incidents. As you can imagine, any accident involving these heavy vehicles, which may or may not be towing a car, can create a lot of damage.
With all of this in mind, let’s take a look at the most common types of accidents which we see with tow trucks.
Sideswipes
Sideswipes are what happens when two vehicles facing the same direction come into contact with one another on the side of their vehicles. If this happens at high speed then it really can cause a nasty crash. In most cases with tow trucks however, this happens whilst they are stationary on the side of the road, as they collect another vehicle which has encountered problems. If the motorist which is going to pass the tow truck has not left enough space, a sideswipe can easily occur.
Rear-End Accident
Another common accident with tow trucks, which also happens a great deal when they are stationary are rear-end accidents. Ultimately what happens is that another motorist fails to see the tow truck and ends up going straight into the back of it. There are a couple of reasons why this happens, either the oncoming motorist is not paying attention and doesn’t see that the two truck is stopped, or the truck hasn’t properly notified them. Tow trucks should have their hazard lights on and use signage 30 feet back to notify oncoming traffic. We also see some rear-end accidents whilst the tow truck is towing a vehicle, because the vehicle behind has not left enough space.
Blind Spot Accidents
All trucks, big and small, have blind spots which they simply can’t do anything about. Experienced tow truck drivers understand perfectly where these blind spots are, and take action when they are driving to ensure that they don’t miss any hazards as a result. There are however a number of tow truck drivers who do not do this, and the result is an accident. Failure to check blind spots before a maneuver is dangerous and can result in accidents with other vehicles.
Beyond this there are of course standard accidents which can take place at junctions or intersections, and it is imperative that tow truck operators drive with caution when they are towing another vehicle. This is because of the added weight and the limited mobility which they will have when towing. As you can see, whilst these vehicles are there to help us out, there are occasions when they are involved in an accident.
