As we prepare for festive season holiday travels our minds are occupied with positive thoughts of safe travel, companionship and a time of rest. Few of us consider the possibility of vehicle accidents – and even fewer prepare to be ready in the event of an emergency. We might not be from the medical profession and might know little about emergency medical treatment, but there are other nasty consequences of accidents that we can prevent. One of these is the nasty experience of having to pay thousands of rands for the towing and storage of our damaged vehicles!
In this post I would like to approach the towing of vehicles in a practical manner and provide a few suggestions to vehicle owners going on holiday!
Why are consumers warned against tow truck operators?
We need to recognize that in every industry we find the true professional capable of providing expertise in a specific field, but also the bottom dweller wishing to make a quick buck with the least bit of effort. This applies to financial advisors, lawyers, salesmen and also the tow truck operator. It is sad that the bottom dweller or bad operator tarnishes the image of the industry and creates a negative perception of all colleagues working in that industry.
Unfortunately the towing industry is not well regulated. Too many operators can buy a one-ton truck, turn it into a tow truck, add some flashy designs on the truck and start operating!
The television show Carte Blanche recently exposed some of the dangers presented by the bad operators in the vehicle recovery and tow trucking industry. Some of the reasons why the consumer is warned include:
- Excessive fees
- Dishonest and unprofessional behaviour
- Kickbacks or referral fees between tow truck drivers and traffic officials
- Poor communication and lack of disclosure etc.
It is appropriate that we give some attention to the tow truck dilemma for the consumer…
What is this towing dilemma confronting the vehicle owner / consumer?
Nobody is ever perfectly prepared for a vehicle accident. An accident is by nature a “sudden unforeseen event” and the consequences differ from incident to incident and from person to person. Once involved in an accident we can expect the following:
- Confusion and uncertainty
- Post-traumatic stress
- Difficulty to reason and make informed choices
- Embarrassment
- Fear etc
It is very difficult for the driver who has just been in an accident to make a proper decision – one that he/ she will not regret later! During this “critical hour” after an accident we find some of the following irregularities:
- Traffic officers alerting tow truck operators to the accident even before alerting medical services
- Vehicles towed away without the consent of the vehicle owner
- Drivers coerced into signing authorization forms for the towing away and storage of their vehicles
This often leads to nasty surprises and financial disaster for the vehicle owner later! This also results in disputes and allegations of “he said – she said” with the driver having to prove that he did not sign the authority or was not provided with all the clauses and content within such document etc…
Advice and suggestions to follow before vehicle is towed away
When in familiar territory closer to home the vehicle owner will feel more protected. The driver might know the tow truck operators in the area and the reputation of these operators. He might even be able to call a friend who has recently been in an accident and gain advice on whether it is safe to use a specific operator!
The risk for the driver increases when on holiday and confronted by strangers offering assistance. The bad operators will identify a stranger or vehicle licensed in another area, seeing this as an opportunity to make a nice festive season bonus!
No matter how neat or flashy the tow truck, or how friendly the smile from the operator – the vehicle owner / driver needs to follow a few guidelines in dealing with these operators.
We would like to provide the following practical and easy to understand suggestions:
- Know that you have rights and you are protected from unauthorized removal of the vehicle!
- Road traffic legislation stipulates that no person shall remove a vehicle involved in an accident from the scene of such accident, except for the purpose of sufficiently allowing the passage of traffic, without the permission of the owner, driver or operator of such vehicle or a person who may lawfully take possession of such vehicle.
- Your signature is very important! You never sign surety on behalf of another – and never sign a document presented to you by a tow truck operator without reading the contents!
- If you are an AA member, contact the AA to arrange the tow. The AA uses only certain towing companies that comply with a code of conduct and service levels. You also have recourse if something goes wrong.
- Only use the services of the first SATRA or UTASA member to arrive at the scene of an accident. You have the right to choose to use a SATRA or UTASA member, who is bound by a contractually enforceable code of conduct, and protects you, the consumer, from being charged above market related rates.
- If your vehicle is insured, contact your insurer or broker and ask for information on the procedure to follow – have this available in your vehicle at all times.
- If you have insurance cover that includes towing charges, call the emergency towing assistance number (usually on a sticker provided by the insurance company).
- If you make use of a roadside assistance product, make sure you know your rights! In almost all cases you or your insurer will be liable to pay the costs of towing an accident-damaged vehicle.
- Make sure that the accident-damaged vehicle is delivered to a repairer approved by your insurer or, if you are not insured, make sure to collect your vehicle as soon as possible to prevent the accrual of storage charges.
- When dealing with recovery companies, always establish the amount to be charged for all aspects including towing, salvage and storage fees. Always agree on towing charges before your vehicle is towed or you might be in for an unpleasant surprise.
- Get as much information about the tow operator as possible before you agree to the recovery – name of company, driver, and registration of tow truck, physical address and phone number (preferably not a cell phone).
- Remove all valuables from the motor vehicle before it is towed away for repairs.
Conclusion
Remember that tow truck operators provide a valuable service to the motoring public – and there are good operators making an honest living by providing a professional vehicle recovery service! They are quite often the first to arrive at the scene of an accident and have been known on many occasions to provide assistance and/or first aid to disorientated or injured accident victims. In addition to this they are quite often seen directing traffic and working with the authorities to clear the accident scene as quickly as possible to avoid further accidents and to restore normal traffic flow.
Respect these individuals for these services – but be alert and follow the above suggestions to protect yourself from bad operators!
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