Highly visible safety signage is needed for roadside incidents.

60 • September 2021 | Towman.com

Ron Myers of Pinetree Towing. “I see drivers putting a vest on all the time after getting out.” To facilitate wearing PPE equipment, one tow company owner pointed out that while some drivers pay for their own safety gear, his firm pays for all towing wearables. Placing cones on the roadway immediately after pulling off the road is another o b v i o u s measure. (Drop three to save me!) Veteran operators on the Commission recommended putting at least three cones on the white edge line anywhere from 100 feet to as much as 100 yards from the scene, depending on the situation, so approaching drivers get plenty of advance warning. “Like the federal mandate of triangles for commercial vehicles and 10 minutes on a highway’s shoulder,” Randy

Cones

should be required as part of the tower’s

footprint on-scene.

Resch points out, “cones should be required as part of the tower’s footprint on scene.” In addition, the often-repeated advice of never taking your eyes off the highway, keeping your head on a swivel for good situational awareness and working on the nontraffic side of the road were also emphasized. Hence the need for either a remote or tow equipment controls and toolboxes to be located on both sides of a tow vehicle. Towers also need to make sure the driver and passenger of the disabled vehicle are put in either the cab or other side of the highway guardrail, not only for their protection, but to ensure they are not a distraction for the operator who must always be on the alert for