Tracking Towed Vehicles

Stay on the Straight and Narrow

By Randall C. Resch

Towed vehicles on a wheellift, sling, or straight bar must track in a straight line directly behind and in the path of the wrecker. For obvious reasons, the towed vehicle cannot sway, swing, travel, or steer out of the tow truck’s lane into oncoming traffic or parked vehicles.

Besides the risk of casualties and damage, there are legal aspects as well. The following incident drives home these points. A city cop was working street patrol in an urban area surrounded by restaurants, shops, and large condominium complexes. At 7:00 pm, the beat activity was quiet. But from a driveway 100 yards ahead a wheellift wrecker emerged suddenly and didn’t yield to approaching traffic. The truck pulled onto the main thoroughfare with the towed vehicle swinging behind precariously, crooked and straddling another lane. With the wreckers’ speed far over the posted limit, it’s obvious somebody was in a hurry. There were no attached safety chains, no wheellift straps and no extension lights attached to the towed vehicle. In the officer’s eyes, this process appeared extremely hazardous and a traffic stop ensued.

As the wrecker continued down the road as though nothing’s wrong, the cop car’s piercing red and blue lights got the operator’s attention. In that, “Oh crap” moment, the wrecker and its awkwardly trailing vehicle edged towards the curb. When the wrecker rolled to a stop, the towed vehicle was still hanging partially into the next lane. If you’re familiar with your state’s laws, you know what’s about to happen next.

Making A Getaway

From a traffic cop’s perspective, this practice is typically the result of towers hurrying to get a vehicle off-property when working private property impounds (PPIs), or during active repos. While a tower escaping from an agitated and angry vehicle owner might feel justified, vehicle code laws come into play for tow truck safety and the good of the motoring public.

This fast ‘n loose approach is clearly dangerous and can lead to creating additional collisions such as sideswiping parked and oncoming cars, or hitting bicyclists or even pedestrians. Such a violation disregards safety, and several other factors also draw an officer’s attention. Especially when beat cops are smart about wreckers and the state’s vehicle code.

Whip Smart

Violating straight-tracking laws is a basis for citation when the infraction is obvious. As described in the above scenario, let’s say the initial causes for the stop included violation of right-of-way, speeding, and no headlights.

Following California’s Vehicle Code, Section 21711 specifically states that, “No person shall operate a train of vehicles when any vehicle being towed whips or swerves from side to side or fails to follow substantially in the path of the towing vehicle.”

There’s nothing confusing about California’s law and its specific wording. This law requires that towed vehicles are prepared by a mechanical procedure to remain in the path of the towing vehicle. When the officer approaches the driver of the wrecker, traffic enforcement likely is initiated. With an ensuing visual walk-around of the tow truck and towed vehicle, there is a good chance that a citation may include other violations, as noted below.

Follow The Codes

• Violation: No Safety Chains and Straps California Vehicle Code, Section 29004(a)(2) states that, “A vehicle towed by a wrecker shall be coupled to the wrecker by means of at least two safety chains in addition to the primary restraining system. The safety chains shall be securely affixed to the truck frame, bed, or towing equipment, independent of the towing sling, wheel-lift, or under-reach towing equipment.”

• Violation: No Extension Lights California Vehicle Code, Section 24605(a) states; “Tow Cars used to tow a vehicle shall be equipped with and carry a tail lamp, a stop lamp, turn signal lamps, and a portable electrical extension cord for use in displaying the lamps on the rear of a towed vehicle.” (Note: In California and other states, the use of only running lights or four-way flashers doesn’t comply with this law.)

• Techniques for Compliance

Depending on the tow vehicle’s method of mechanical drive and steering, when a vehicle is towed from the rear, the vehicle’s steering wheel must be secured straight ahead, where wheels are in-line with the towing vehicle’s sides.

Tips On Tracking

So before starting out in traffic, here are the following steps to ensure straight tracking. Predetermine if the vehicle is all-wheel, front-wheel, or rear-wheel drive systems. Only rearwheel drive vehicles should be towed backwards on non-drive wheels.

If the ignition key is available, straighten the steering and turn the ignition off until the column locks. This practice ensures that the steering is pointed straight ahead.

Even when the column is locked, tie the steering straight ahead with any of the following items: a length of rope, motorcycle tie-strap, the vehicle’s seat belt, floppy fan belt, or a commercially designed steering wheel device.

Never trust a vehicle’s steering wheel and lock to hold on its own mechanical merit. Steering wheel locks have been known to break under frontal load. A vehicle’s locking ignition may come loose under the vehicle’s weight during travel. As most of today’s vehicles are made of lightweight plastic parts and thinnish metals, an unsecured steering column doesn’t have sufficient tensile strength to maintain weight of a lifted vehicle.

When a vehicle is on a wheel-lift or sling, and towed on its rear wheels, it’s recommended to lock the column, tie the steering, or employ a steering wheel seat device to keep the wheels straight ahead while towing. That’s because wheel-lift pivots, by design, rotate and may cause the towed vehicle’s wheels to drop between the L-Bar openings or the wheel lift’s scoops.

Hello Dollies

To eliminate the visual, illegal presence of tracking outside the wrecker’s path, throwing dollies are the best solution for locked and turned steering. While the lack of dollies is one way towers get off-property quickly before a vehicle’s owner arrives, the officer writing a straighttracking citation has enforcement in mind and doesn’t care about tow-related excuses.

Professional tow companies require operators to attach all appropriate safety equipment to towed vehicles prior to departing the tow location. While a tower’s urgency to get off-property and avoid potential confrontation is understandable, most police officers won’t be lenient when writing a multiviolation citation.

It takes only a couple of minutes to be in compliance with straight-tracking laws. It’s that visual non-compliance that gets towers in trouble. When tow operators protest, “The yard is only a couple of miles away,” that doesn’t justify conducting a dicey tow.

License Points

If you’re that tower who sidesteps state law, it’s a matter of time before a hazard citation finds you. In the scenario presented above, it’s likely a citation will be written. From a risk management standpoint, a tower receiving this type of citation could end up with excessive points stacking up on the operator’s MVR. Too many points could result in the tower being removed from the company’s insurance policy.

Failing to attain straight-track ◀ compliance is a more severe violation where police officers making the stop have probable cause to inquire if the operator might be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, medical marijuana, or other illegal substance. When towers knowingly allow a towed vehicle to stray outside the path of the towed vehicle, they’re creating an obvious violation that could result in increased DUI enforcement. Where probable cause exists, that too could lead to the operator’s arrest and impound of their wrecker.

It’s all easily avoided by simply straightening the towed vehicle’s steering. Don’t be that visual spectacle where your negligent actions draw attention to law enforcement. If keys aren’t available to enhance the process, the best option; throw dollies or request a carrier.

Throwing dollies on private property impounds is a least favorite technique that creates slow, additional work. Although it takes more time, doing so may result in the tower losing one’s job due to not being insurable.

As in anything towers do, there are severe consequences at the end of knowingly working outside the law. Be sure your towed vehicle is straight-tracking behind the towing truck and avoid wiping out a bunch of parked cars or another vehicle in traffic.