Many car owners feel that getting a car towed is a serious endeavor. It may not be something that you’d look forward to, but it can be a necessity. Whether your car broke down or you got into an accident, you don’t need to panic. It’s important to stay calm and properly prepare your car to be towed.
Fortunately, many companies provide towing services to get you out of an unfortunate situation. However, here are a few points that you should keep in mind when your car is being towed.
- Remove necessary items or valuables:
The first thing you need to do is collect all your personal items from your car. It’s not the duty of the tow truck driver to protect your items and valuables. In order to protect your valuables from getting misplaced or damaged, take them with you.
In fact, many towing service providers state in their contracts that they aren’t responsible for lost valuables. So, if you have your laptop, insurance documents or other important papers inside your car, take it with you.
- Take pictures of your car:
While you’re waiting for the tow vehicle, you should go ahead and take pictures of your car. You’ll come to know the importance of these pictures when any damages happen due to towing.
When you hire a reputable towing company, you’re handing over your valuable car to safe hands. Occasionally though, a company may damage your car when towing it. Therefore, as a precaution, take photos of your car as proof of its condition before it was towed.
- Take off park brake and steering lock
When your car gets towed, you need to take off your park brake and steering lock as well. If they aren’t disengaged, then your car will drag, which can cause damage to your vehicle. Generally, a good towing company checks everything including the emergency brake.
But it’s better to take precautionary action than to regret it later.
- Close the windows and secure the doors:
Though this step seems to be the insignificant one, you should close your car’s windows and secure its doors. This ensures that no debris and dust can enter your car in transit. Also, the interiors of your car would be protected in case of any unexpected rain.
Furthermore, by closing the windows and securing the doors, you’d be able to prevent theft as your valuables or interiors won’t be exposed.
- Ensure your vehicle is easy to access for a tow truck:
This step will become more significant if you’re not present at the towing location. If the towing company arrives to tow your car, then you need to prepare for them to get into your car easily. Therefore, you should be prepared well in advance to avoid confusion.
In order to tow the vehicle, some companies forcefully board the vehicles into the truck. This can lead to minor or serious damage to the car. Hence, you should make sure that your car is easy to access for the towing company.
- Provide tow vehicle with keys as necessary:
A towing company will need your car keys to tow your car in the truck properly. Hence, you should leave a spare key for them. If you couldn’t find a place to keep the keys safe, then place them somewhere inside the vehicle. Other alternative options are hiding it underneath a floor mat or in a a magnetic key box.
Additionally, keep an extra car key with yourself too in case of any emergency.
Also read here to know how to maximize your car's resale value.
Why hiring a professional towing company is important?
The towing process is full of challenges. A towing person has to follow the right procedure and consider various things to avoid damage or complications.
Hiring an expert or a reputable towing company will provide you peace of mind. You will be assured that your car is in safe hands.
Final word:
Not everyone will need to get their car towed in their life, but knowledge is power and this information will help you in a time of trouble.
