Need A Tow Truck? 7 mistakes your should avoid When Calling A Towing Company

Towing companies in Spokane provide an invaluable service, but nobody wants to have to call one. If you find yourself in a situation where you need a tow service it usually means that you have had some misfortune. Fortunately, calling for a tow truck or roadside assistance doesn’t have to be completely terrible. Use the steps in this article as a guide to the best possible towing experience.

When Should You Call A Tow Truck?

A woman calls for a tow truck.

Before you call a towing company or roadside assistance provider for help you should consider what kind of help they are able to offer. In some instances, you may not really need a tow truck driver’s assistance. If you have friends or family in the area and the issue you are experiencing is minor, you may try giving them a call first. However, if your problem is more serious or you don’t have anyone trustworthy nearby to call, then you might need to call a roadside service provider. Following is a list of situations where a tow truck operator may be able to help.

You’ve Been In A Motor Vehicle Accident

Car crashes happen every single day. Every time you get into your car and drive, even if it’s just down the street, you are at risk of becoming involved in a collision. It’s just one of the unfortunate facts of the road. Fortunately, most car accidents aren’t serious, and safety technologies installed in vehicles these days have come a long way.

If you’ve been involved in a traffic collision, the first thing to do is make sure that all parties involved are ok. If anyone is physically injured, call emergency responders immediately. 

Once you’re sure that nobody has been hurt in the accident, the next step is to assess the vehicles for damage. The most obvious signs of damage will be to the body of the vehicle at the point of impact, like scratches or dents. Next, you may want to assess for any fluids that may be leaking from the vehicle’s undercarriage.

If the collision occurred at low speeds there may be no damage at all. If this is the case it may be ok to simply exchange information with the other driver and continue on your way.

However, if you find that there is any damage beyond a small dent or a scratch, you’ll likely want to call a tow truck and have your vehicle towed to a trusted mechanic to have it inspected. Even if it seems like a vehicle is in good enough shape to drive away from the scene of the accident, it may still be dangerous to drive. If the vehicle has fluids leaking or the alignment is seriously out of whack, driving it could pose a real safety hazard. In this case, may require a flatbed tow truck.

When calling the tow truck, be sure to specify the type of vehicle so that they know if you require a heavy or light towing service.

You Are Unable To Start Your Vehicle

If your car won’t start and you’re stranded on the side of the road there are a few things you can try before calling for help. The most likely culprit is a dead battery. If you are provident you may already be prepared with jumper cables or a portable battery charger. If you drive a vehicle with a manual transmission and you have help, you may consider a push start. If you’ve tried all these options, your last resort is going to be getting a tow to a mechanic who will be able to properly diagnose the problem.

You Have A Flat Tire

A car with a flat tire awaits a tow truck.

A flat tire can happen at any time. Many people carry a spare tire with a jack and lug nut wrench in their vehicle at all times. If you are rather parsimonious, your spare tire is in good condition, and you know how to use all the tools, then there is no shame in taking care of a flat tire by yourself.

There are situations, however, when changing your own tire is not pragmatic. If you blew a tire while driving on the highway you may find that the place where you’ve stopped is not safe to change a tire. It may come to pass that the lug nuts are too tight to loosen manually, or that your spare tire is deflated or otherwise unfit for use. If the weather outside is horrendous, changing your own tire might be too troublesome. In these instances, it’s best to call a towing company for help.

You Have Run Out Of Fuel

A low fuel dash light indicates that a car has run out of fuel.

Completely depleting your gasoline is one reason you might find yourself stranded. In this scenario there are only a few choices:

  • Phone a friend or family member for help.
  • Walk to the nearest gas station and back with a portable fuel canister.
  • Call a roadside service provider for help.

Running out of gas in the middle of nowhere can be a real pain in the arse, so make sure you fill up your tank before embarking on any long journeys.

You’ve Locked Your Keys In The Car

A view from outside a locked car shows the keys in the ignition.

Locking your keys in the car is a good reason to call a roadside assistance provider. If it’s happened to you there are a few tricks you can try to get the door open yourself, but these methods can take up quite a bit of time, and due to murphy’s law, people always seem to lock their keys in their car when they don’t have time to spare. For this reason, it’s smart to call a tow truck driver for lockout support if you find yourself in this situation.

Steps To Take When Calling A Tow Truck

Once you’ve decided that you definitely need to call a tow truck or a roadside assistance service, there are some steps you can take to make sure the process is fast, safe, and seamless as possible.

Look Out For Safety

Safety is always paramount. If you’ve broken down on the side of a road or highway take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of yourself, your passengers, and other drivers on the road. Be sure to engage the emergency brake and turn on your hazard lights. Don’t neglect to use a flashlight and or high-visibility clothing when exiting your vehicle at night. Find a safe place to wait for the tow truck to arrive. If you are unable to exit the vehicle safely, stay inside it.

Call Your Insurance Provider

You do have one, right? Of course, you do! One of the great benefits of car insurance is that many policies will cover the cost of towing. In order to reap this benefit, though, you’ll want to give them a call before you engage with any towing service providers. Before you call the tow truck call your insurance company and ask them:

  • Do they cover towing? Under what circumstances?
  • Do they hire the tow truck, or will they reimburse you?
  • Will they cover services from any towing service provider?
  • Is there a limit to how much they will cover?

Many insurance companies will handle the hiring of the tow truck for you as part of their service. If that’s the case, you can skip the next step. If not, you’ll want to have all the details about your policy’s coverage before you start calling towing companies.

Find A Reputable Towing Company

Once you’re ready to call a towing company, you need to figure out which towing company to call. This might not always be so simple. With so many options out there it can sometimes be mind-boggling. Add on the fact that you might be a little bit frazzled by whatever mishap led you to require a tow truck in the first place and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

Don’t fret. Use your handy dandy smartphone and pull up a list of towing companies near you. Consider sorting them by distance. Most likely the towing company that is nearest you will be able to respond the quickest. Next, look at their reviews. Unfortunately, not all towing companies are honest, so use the review feature to eliminate the ones that might be crooks. Pick a few of the closest and most highly rated companies, then give them a call and ask if they are available to help!

Get An Estimate

When you have decided on a few towing companies that appear to be reputable and are located nearby, you will want to ask them for an estimate, because of course cost is going to be a factor that will help you decide which company to choose. Once you have several estimates, you will likely choose the cheapest one and employ their assistance.

After they arrive on the scene, you will want to make sure that you get an estimate in writing from the driver before they begin to render their services. This will help to prevent any surprises or hidden charges when the final bill comes.

Take Pictures

A man takes pictures of his car before allowing a tow truck driver to hook it up.

Before allowing your vehicle to be hooked up to the tow truck, take pictures all around. This is important whether or not you have been in an accident. If you were in an accident that caused significant damage the insurance company will want pictures of the damage from multiple angles. Even if you weren’t in an accident taking pictures of your vehicle can still be useful. In the case that your vehicle sustains accidental damage by the towing company, you can use the pictures you took beforehand to hold them accountable. 

Remove Personal Items From The Vehicle

Most tow truck drivers are honest folks, even still, you don’t want to leave valuables or sensitive documents in your vehicle unattended. Before the driver hooks up your car to the tow truck, be sure to remove important paperwork, electronics, and any other personal items you may need or want in the near future. Remember, depending on the circumstances, you may not have access to your vehicle for a period of time if you wish to retrieve personal property.

Receive An Invoice

When it’s all said and done make sure to collect a receipt! Your receipt should show a list of charges and work done. Make sure to keep this for your records in case there is any discrepancy, or you need to present it to your insurance company.