While you're driving down the street, you may notice a vehicle towing a car. That may make your mind wander and think about the difference of having a tow company assist with towing instead of trying to get a friend or family member to help out. Are there more benefits of a tow company? What is better about it than doing this on your own?
Why You Should Hire a Tow Truck Company
A tow truck company has the experience that is necessary to tow a car. While you may think you know what you're doing, there is more that can go wrong than you may realize. A tow company service can rescue you from the highway, bring you to the nearest gas station, or even bring you back to their office so you can have someone pick you up. Most of the time, the company will have tools on them to see if they can assist you if it's just a minor problem you're experiencing with your vehicle. They have the resources you may need if you encounter the need for this type of service.
Why You Shouldn't Do This Yourself
Many people attempt to tow a car themselves. While that may be fine in some circumstances, it's not always okay. In fact, you may not know it, but you could be harming your vehicle. Each vehicle, even a pick-up truck is only capable of a certain amount of GTWR (gross trailer weight rating). A vehicle must be equipped with a stronger frame, axles for larger loads, larger engines, and stronger suspension systems. If your vehicle is not equipped like this, don't attempt. A tow truck is made for this type of job and should always be your first and only choice when you need to be towed somewhere.
Take Away The Potential Danger
Now that you know it's not okay to tow anything exceeding your vehicle's GTWR, it's important to realize the danger that could occur. If you're not experienced with towing, you may not be hooking up the car to your vehicle safely. You could hurt yourself or someone else while doing this. If the car isn't hooked up right, it could fall off while you're towing it down the road. Someone could get seriously injured when it could have been avoided.
Even if it's the middle of the night, call a tow truck company. There are programs that you can get into where you can save money if you need to go through a tow truck service. Some of the programs are AAA and Motor Club of America. There is no reason not to be cautious for yours and other people's safety. Not to mention, you can save on repairs with your truck from the potential damage from towing too much weight.
Share24 October 2014
I drove small compact cars for over a decade. After I got married and had children, I began to realize that we could use more room than we had in my small car. I was considering buying an SUV or a small van, but I hesitated on making the change for quite a while due to thinking that it would be very difficult for me to learn to drive a new automobile style! Finally, I got up the nerve to test drive an SUV at a local dealership, and I was shocked at how easy it was to drive! I felt a little higher in the air, and that was the only difference. I decided to start a blog to share my story with other people afraid to switch vehicle styles and share other auto tips I have learned! I hope I can help you!
