When your car breaks down and there is no mechanic onsite you should get someone to tow the car. For your car to be safely towed you need to consider a number of tips. These tips include:
Have all the necessary items
You need to have the necessary things for your car to be safely towed. One of the things you need to have is a towrope. The rope is usually cheap and you can easily get it from your local store or a gas station. You can also use a chain if you have it. You should avoid using poor quality ropes as they can easily break putting you at the risk of causing an accident. After you have got the rope you should attach it on the towing eyes of your car.
When attaching the cars, you should leave a distance of 4.5 meters between the vehicles. If you leave a distance that exceeds 1.5 the rope should be clearly visible for the other road users. This calls for you to avoid using a rope that is the same color as the tarmac.
The other thing you need is a sign. All you need to do is write on a piece of paper, “ON TOW” or “BEING TOWED” in capital letters and place the sign in the back window of your car. The purpose of the sign is to let other drivers know that you are being towed so that they don’t wonder why you are driving too slowly.
Tips for the towing driver
If you are the one towing the car you should be cautious that you don’t cause damage to the cars. When starting off, you should start off gently and ensure that you don’t yank the rope which would cause it to break. When changing direction, do it gently and always warn the other driver about it. It’s common for the tow rope to break. If it breaks or you see any other problem, you should stop immediately.
Tips if you are the one getting towed
Getting towed doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have control of your car. Before the towing begins you should turn on the ignition so that you release the steering lock. This is to make it easy for you to steer the car. While on the road, pay close attention to the driver towing you. You should steer and brake your car in synchronization with the driver towing you.
You should maintain tension in the towing rope by applying light brakes. This is to minimize jolting. If the steering or brakes aren’t working you should avoid getting towed as you can’t control the car. In such a scenario you should call a professional towing company that will tow the vehicle even in your absence. The companies use specialized vehicles that are able to move the car without requiring a second driver.
Conclusion
These are tips to consider when towing your car. To avoid accidents, you should never tow or get towed with the car facing backward.
