You’re driving along, minding your own business, listening to the radio, and your brain is basically on autopilot. You’re stuck in traffic, but you aren’t too bothered because you’re not really in a rush. And then… There it is. Flashing yellow lights.
A tow truck is maneuvering through the lanes. What is going on?! Yeah… It happens all the time, but most people don’t really know what to do in those moments. Do you slow down? Speed up? Change lanes? A split second of confusion on the road can lead to accidents. So let’s cut through that confusion.
5 Safety Tips for Driving Near Tow Trucks
One very important thing to keep in mind is that driving near tow trucks isn’t the same if you’re in a big city like Chicago or in a small town like Tuskegee. Not only is Chicago huge, but it’s also crowded, which means the roads are extra stressful.
Accidents are more common than people like to admit, but luckily, if you ever find yourself in need of a tow truck accident attorney in Chicago, you’ll find them at Rosenfeld Injury Attorneys, or any other high-profile Chicago-based law firm that specializes in complex traffic accidents.
That’s not to say that small towns are immune to accidents or stress, but you have to admit that driving on those roads is a bit simpler. Wherever you are, though, the tips you’re about to read through can only help.
Stay Calm and Patient
Easier said than done, right? You’re already late, and now you’re stuck behind this stupid tow truck that’s going slower than a snail. It’s totally understandable that you’re annoyed, but if you lose your cool now, it’s pretty likely that you’ll end up in a fender bender.
Tow trucks work in the worst possible spots, usually where traffic is already a nightmare, so if you start to go around or ride bumpers to save 2 minutes, you’re asking for trouble. Take a breath, drop back a little, and give everyone some room.2 minutes isn’t worth a headache, let alone an accident.
Keep Your Distance
You hate those annoying people who ride bumpers, right? Everyone does. So don’t be one of them. Not only do tow truck drivers absolutely despise it when someone rides their bumper, but it’s actually dangerous to do so in this situation. You can’t see what’s in front of them, so if they need to stop suddenly, you’re toast, and you have nobody but yourself to blame.
Also, if they’re towing something you can’t see that well from behind, and that vehicle shifts or swings? Double toast for you. Stay at least 3 to 4 car lengths back because that’s how you’ll have enough time to react if things go sideways. And if someone tries to cut into that space, drop back again. Their stupidity is not your problem.
Don’t Pass on the Right
You’re behind a tow truck in the left lane, and the right lane looks wide open, so why not zip around on the right and be on your way? Well… That would be a mistake.
Tow trucks have MASSIVE blind spots, and the right side? That’s usually the worst one. The driver could be focused on the road or checking their mirrors for whatever they’re towing, and they won’t see you coming from that side. Wait until it’s safe to pass on the left or hang back until they’re out of the way. Yes, it’s tragic, you might even lose a whole (!) 15 minutes of your time, but it is how it is. Being pancaked would be worse.
Pay Attention to Tow Truck Signals
Tow truck drivers don’t flip on their hazards for funsies, but because they mean something, so pay attention. Here’s where it gets confusing, though; they might use additional signals you might not expect. It could be amber lights pointing in different directions, or they might flash certain lights to indicate they’re about to turn or pull over. Whenever you see those lights, slow down. Period. Give them room and be ready to yield. You don’t need to know what they’re doing; you just need to give them space.
Speed Limits Exist for a Reason – Follow Them
There are a lot of people who think that speed limits are there as a sort of guidance. Like, if the limit is really low, there might be a school nearby, which means, since there’s no school on a Sunday, I can ignore the limit. Or you might think that, sure, I’ll go a bit over the limit, because if you’re overtaking, you’ll be driving faster anyway, so I can use this logic to escape a fine.
All that (and more) is great. But the thing is – speeding kills people. Don’t think so? Well, 11,775 people would disagree with you. Well, they would disagree with you if they weren’t victims of speeding and speeding took their lives. Now imagine yourself speeding near a tow truck. Or a speeding tow truck… Tow trucks are SUPER heavy.
And if they’re towing something, they’re even heavier. This means that they need A LOT more ground in order to achieve a full stop; compared to you, anyway. It’s basic physics. If you’re speeding and a tow truck’s in front of you, you’ll need to brake HARD; otherwise, you’ll be on top of them before you can blink (or even worse, under them).
Limits are there for many reasons. Abide by those limits; always. And when the weather is bad, or the traffic’s bad, then go even slower. Don’t worry; you’ll get where you’re going. Maybe it’ll be a few minutes later, but you’ll get there in one piece.
Conclusion
When you read all these tips out loud, they seem so logical, so obvious. And yet, people ignore them. Why is that? It’s important to raise awareness, always. Not just tow trucks, which make these above-covered situations worse, but in general.
If you’re even thinking about speeding, then make sure there are no tow trucks around. And if you’re the one driving that tow truck, then don’t even think about speeding. Stay safe (on the road)!
