7 Mistakes to Avoid While Towing your Car for the First Time
- Written by: News Company
At some point or another, each of us will end up towing our car during our lifetime. If you drive, the chances are you will end up in a ditch at some point. There’s nothing to be ashamed of… most of us have done it. However, if you want to a void compounding an already bad day into something much worse – read our towing mistakes to avoid and save yourself the headache…
The Top 7 first-Time-Towing Mistakes
1 – Ignoring the Instructions
Whatever you are towing – be it caravan, your own car, or horse box – you need to read the instructions. Whatever vehicle you are using to tow will have a manual and it’s important to check it. Nobody wants to pull the bumper off their car because they attached it in the wrong place!
2 – Ignoring the Experts
There are far too many people out there who take a job on themselves without the proper experience and knowledge. Towing is one of those areas. You might drive safely for 20 years, get behind the wheel to tow your own car in Sydney, and end up in a collision because the steering is so heavy. If in doubt, call in Fast Sydney Towing to be on the safe side.
3 – Covering up Licence Plates
Dear, dear, dear. No matter what you are doing on Australian roads, don’t cover your license plate while you tow it. Hiding your plate can land you up to a $400 fine for towing your own vehicle… and that presumes the vehicle is a light one. For heavy motors that number only goes upwards.
4 – Exceeding Capacity
The vehicle you are using to tow with needs to be under the Gross Combination Mass of both it and your car behind you. If you exceed this limit you are in violation of the law. Your towing vehicle should have a note of it in the handbook. If not, check with whomever you hire the tow truck from.
5 – Ignoring Final Checks
When you tow something, your own car or not, you need to do your final checks. This is just to make sure you have secured it correctly. If you are winching, for example, double-check you are attached to the right part of your car. Again, nobody wants to pull off the bumper by accident!
6 – Is Your tow Rope Safe?
If you are using a tow rope, you are dicing with the law. It’s technically legal, but we don’t recommend you use one for any more than a few metres. When you do use it – make sure that nobody is standing nearby. If that rope snaps and hurts someone you will regret it, otherwise.
7 – Not Checking the Brakes
When was the last time the towing vehicle had a brake check? If you don’t have adequate brakes to stop yourself, you won’t be able to stop the extra weight behind youi. This is potentially fatal if you don’t get it right. Make sure your brakes work… It’s just good sense.
And Finally…
Don’t forget that towing your own car is a specialist job. Hire a tow truck or call in the experts… and don’t be tempted to pull anything you’re not comfortable with.
