Car Accidents and Tow Trucks
When it comes to car accidents with tow trucks, the tow truck driver or the tow truck company may be legally liable for the crash. This depends on the nature of the accident. Determining liability will help accident victims and their loved ones figure out who to seek legal damages from. The Daytona Beach, FL lawyers of Chanfrau & Chanfrau can help provide you with expert legal guidance, offering honest insight into your ideal legal strategies regarding a personal injury case. Whether your lawsuit is settled out of court or goes to trial, we are here for you.
Right now, we’d like to go over some of the most common causes of tow truck accidents. This will help you understand the hazards these vehicles pose to drivers and what you should look out for while on the road.
Tow Trucks and Obscured Brake Lights
When a tow truck is in the process of towing a vehicle, it can be difficult to spot the brake lights. The vehicle behind the tow truck tends to cover them up, which can make driving behind a tow truck particularly dangerous. If a tow truck driver does not take care to ensure their brake lights are visible, the chances of a rear end collision collision can be quite high.
Towed Vehicles Coming Loose from the Two Truck
A towed vehicle poses more dangers than just obscuring the brake lights, of course. There is also the risk of the towed vehicle coming loose. Should this happen, the vehicle becomes a hazard in the road that other motorists must avoid. If this doesn’t lead to collisions with the loose vehicle on the road, there is the risk of collisions as other drivers swerve to avoid a crash.
Dangers from a Tow Truck Hook
Even when a tow truck is not towing a vehicle, it can pose a number of hazards. The towing hook that hangs from the tow truck may drop to the ground, and could potentially strike wheels of adjacent vehicles, latch onto nearby vehicles, or kick up debris on the road. Cars traveling behind a tow truck could also experience hood or windshield damage if the hook suddenly becomes slack.
Vehicles Falling from the Flatbed of a Tow Truck
There are some tow trucks that use a flatbed to transport vehicles rather than a traditional hook mechanism. In these cases, the towed vehicle can still come loose from the flatbed and wind up on the road if it is not properly secured. This poses hazards to vehicles behind the tow truck as well as to the sides of the tow truck.
Other Potential Causes of Tow Truck Accidents
In addition to the above issues that can lead to tow truck accidents, the following can also contribute to these kinds of collisions occurring much like any sort of crash:
- Speeding
- Reckless driving
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Tailgating
- Poor vehicle maintenance
- Poor road conditions
- Bad weather
Contact an Auto Accident Lawyer
For more information about your legal rights and options after a crash with a tow truck, be sure to contact our team of auto accident attorneys. The lawyers of Chanfrau & Chanfrau are here to help. You can reach our Daytona Beach office at (866) 610-0653, and out Palm Coast location at (386) 439-7760.