Tow Truck Operator Safety

The first priority of any tow truck driver is it going to be safety at all times for himself and anyone else on the scene, regardless of whatever type of incident. Upon arriving at the scene the tow truck driver will assess the situation to determine the best course of action in order to keep everyone on the scene safe.  Approaching traffic can be notified of an upcoming incident using several different tools including cones, flares, and flashing lights. Flaggers can be deployed in appropriate circumstances in order to prevent additional collisions and to direct traffic safely. 

All people in the area of the incident including First Responders, tow truck operators and individuals involved in a collision must stand a safe distance away from the work area in order to avoid injury from moving vehicles, malfunctioning equipment, debris, fire, or other accidental circumstances.  Personnel on the scene may be required to wear high visibility clothing by law depending on the state. 

In the event of a collision tow truck drivers first job will be to recover the vehicle and position it appropriately in order to be removed from the scene. This will often require the use of special equipment such as winches and chains. All equipment should be properly serviced and in good working order before arriving on the scene. The tow truck operator will determine the best technique for recovering and removing the vehicle.  Once the vehicle is in place on the tow truck it must be adequately secured to ensure safe transportation from the scene to the vehicle’s destination. Most often vehicles will be removed from the scene of an accident and taken back to the towing yard. At this point, the vehicle may be picked up by its owner, or if it is no longer operational it will be moved to a wrecking yard.