Fact: Because towers don’t deploy advanced emergency lighting, pedestrian strikes will continue. On-scene safety starts with operators deploying necessary safety equipment, especially working shoulder events. Tow-business owners are responsible for making that conscious decision to provide proper equipment and training for on-highway response. If you have attended Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Training, you’re missing the meaning of, “Advanced Emergency Warning.” With the lack of advanced emergency warning being one root cause for operator fatalities; outfitting your company’s wreckers and carriers with arrow boards is a move in the right direction in-decreasing operator deaths in the future. If you think SDMO initiatives are really working, you’re way off-track. This narrative is intended to focus on making your trucks more visible and safety efficient. When adding more strobe and trinkets to increase your trucks’ “circus factor,”,why not be reasonable in making your truck’s presence known to approaching motorists? Adding arrow boards or outrigger-style lighting helps to increase a tow truck’s presence when parked stationary on highway shoulders. An arrow board’s directional left or right arrows send clear indication to approaching motorists to slow down and move over.
THE RIGHT CHOICE?
Because owners are saddled with doing everything they can to protect workers from accidents or incidents, cost of product shouldn’t be a deciding factor. If cost is a factor for not outfitting your trucks with arrow boards or outrigger lighting, simply consider, “What’s my employee’s life worth?” In today’s towing and recovery market, commercial arrow boards are available for $600. While this narrative isn’t an attempt to promote devices or products, let’s hope the industry takes heed of the known dangers that repeatedly get towers killed. Don’t wait for one of your trucks to get hit or your operator to die in a preventable pedestrian strike. Be proactive and upgrade your trucks with equipment products that work, facilitating operator safety. Why not make smart choices and outfit your trucks with equipment and accessories that offer far more safety potential than circus bling? Adding an arrow board helps to increase a tow truck’s on-scene presence. As with all products and safety accessories, though, don’t be lulled into a false sense of security.
22 • January 2022 | Towman.com