When a car-to-car accident occurs on the road, the first vehicle to arrive to handle the accident is an “emergency Tow Truck Winnipeg.” We call this tow truck a “wrecker.” Sometimes, they can arrive at the scene of an accident faster than the police and fire trucks, allowing for quick response on congested roads. However, on the other hand, they must also consider the extremely dangerous situations that arise to arrive quickly.
Dangerous tow truck race
The tow trucks that always arrive first at the scene of an accident are more numerous than the number of vehicles involved in the accident. They speed toward the scene of the accident with their sirens blaring, even though no one has reported it.
Additionally, in areas where accidents frequently occur, you can see tow trucks standing next to the accident vehicle as if they were just waiting for an accident to occur.
Of course, it is good to arrive at the scene of an accident quickly and move the vehicle to a safe area to handle the accident. However, on the other hand, we must not forget that driving illegally while ignoring the Road Traffic Act to get to the scene of an accident can cause another accident.
Illegal racing on the road
Here are some stories I heard directly from tow truck (private tow truck) drivers:
“Just like a taxi, the first one to arrive gets the right of way, so you can make money by getting there first even if it means breaking the rules,” he says.
Even if a tow truck arrives at the scene of an accident first, it cannot be towed if the driver of the accident does not intend to use it. Recently, due to the unreasonable towing fee charges from some private companies, most drivers do not trust general tow trucks. As a result, most drivers wait until the tow truck of their insurance company arrives.
No matter how fast you run, you often miss the number of tows, so unless you are first, you will often end up in vain. From the drivers’ perspective, “it is understandable” but “it cannot be justified”
Is the tow truck an emergency vehicle?
A tow truck with its siren blaring is “not an emergency vehicle.” Therefore, there is no obligation to give way to or yield to a tow truck.
Sometimes, some drivers think that these tow trucks are emergency vehicles and give way to them without warning, but that is not necessary.
Rather, if an accident occurs while yielding, or if a tow truck speeds away after yielding and gets into an accident with another vehicle, it can lead to a major accident.
Any act of a tow truck crossing the center line, driving on the shoulder, or running a red light is illegal and must be reported. If you witness such an incident, you can report it by video or photo file.
This is not to encourage you to report it, but to remind you that these vehicles are subject to the same road traffic laws as regular vehicles.
What types of emergency vehicles are there?
Simply put, it refers to a vehicle used for official purposes designated by the state among vehicles used to prevent and crack down on dangerous situations.
In the case of towing (wrecking) vehicles, they are vehicles dispatched for personal profit, regardless of the purpose of accident handling, so they are excluded from the scope of emergency vehicles. You should remember that they are vehicles that do not receive any legal protection.
Therefore, regular drivers do not have to yield to tow trucks, or roadside assistance, which are not emergency vehicles. On the contrary, when they see an emergency vehicle, they should quickly yield to it.
If you block or obstruct the path of an emergency vehicle, you may be subject to a fine and/or a ticket from city or county officials.