What Is the Purpose of a Tow Truck?
No matter whether you call them wreckers, breakdown trucks, or recovery trucks, the purpose of a tow truck is to transport vehicles after they have broken down or are no longer able to be drive. Typically, these are the trucks that you call after an accident so that your car can be taken to a repair shop. AAA is a good example of a company that operates tow trucks as a part of their services as an emergency road service.
The 5 Major Components of a Tow Truck
- The Flatbed: The section that carries other vehicles.
- Hooks & Chains: Flatbed attachments that ensure cars do not come loose while being carried.
- Wheel Lifts: These lift the vehicles off of the ground so cars cannot shift position.
- Booms: Attachments used for the purpose of recovering trapped vehicles.
Dangers of an Improperly Loaded Vehicle
What can sometimes happen when these vehicles are not loaded properly is that cars will shift while in operation. If a car shifts while the tow truck is moving, it not only poses a risk to the driver but all other drivers on the road.
Protecting Your Rights After a Tow Truck Crash
Tow trucks are used to move disabled or improperly parked vehicles. To accomplish this, they sometimes need to block traffic or maneuver into difficult areas. Tow trucks are not easy to drive, particularly when they’re towing.
Tow truck accidents happen when:
- Drivers are tired or overworked
- Towing equipment is defective or improperly maintained
- Vehicles are not properly secured to the tow truck
- Towing companies demand long hours or deny breaks
- Tow truck drivers are inexperienced or careless
- Drivers are drunk or under the influence of drugs
You have the right to hold at-fault parties accountable if you were injured in a tow truck accident. Serving Houston and all of Texas and the U.S., our team at Arnold & Itkin is ready to protect your rights. We handle personal injury, wrongful death, and workers’ compensation claims for victims who have been catastrophically injured or killed in collisions with tow trucks and other large commercial vehicles. If you're ready to find out how much of a difference an experienced personal injury lawyer in Houston can make in the outcome of your case, call us at (888) 493-1629.
GPS & Vehicle Location Technology
GPS capability has become the standard for tow trucks. GPS technology helps drivers decrease their possibility of an accident after getting lost, as well as navigate the quickest possible route. Some companies even have what is known as "automatic vehicle location" (AVL) which are operated by the tow truck dispatch center. A call will come into the dispatch center asking for a tow truck, and then the AVL will be used to find the closest available tow truck. These GPS technologies have a double purpose. While they are used so that the drivers can navigate to their destinations, they are also used by the trucking companies to monitor their drivers. Some companies have utilized this technology to see if their drivers are speeding or practicing other forms of reckless driving.
Call (888) 493-1629 for Your Free Consultation
If you’re ready to talk to an attorney about how you can seek justice after a Houston tow truck accident, we’re standing by to help. At Arnold & Itkin, your initial consultation is free and confidential. You also pay no upfront costs or and pay no legal fees at all unless we win your case. We’ll take care of everything, so you don’t have to.
Call (888) 493-1629 and find out what our attorneys can do to help you rebuild and move forward.
