If you need to have your car towed, you need to make sure that you prepare your car beforehand to prevent mishaps or carelessness from causing damage. Once your car is on its way, you will have no control over it to protect it from roadway hazards. Therefore, preparation is key.
The following six tips will help your car get from point A to point B safely:
Drivers out on the road need to know your car is being towed. It can be difficult for cars driving directly behind a towed car to see that the car is being towed by the vehicle up ahead. It is always a good idea to make sure that a sign saying "In tow" is hung on the back of your car before it's towed.
Towed cars should not contain any passengers. Riding in a towed car puts unnecessary weight in the vehicle. A trailer's weight capacity is generally given under the assumption that vehicles are empty and free of passengers,so riding along in towed vehicles is discouraged. Ride in a cab or get a lift from a friend.
A car should be in neutral when it is being towed so that the trailer can pull it along while the wheels roll freely and there is no resistance from brakes or transmission components.
If you leave your parking brake on when your car is towed, it can be completely ruined by even a short journey.
When a car is towed,it is generally turned on so that its warning lights can be hooked upto those of the towing vehicle. Cars behind the towed vehicle need to know when brakes are engaged, and the vehicles will slow down. It is thus important that the key is in the ignition and turned to on- without starting the engine- so that brake lights and warning lights will function.
A car should not be towed by being pulled behind another vehicle if its power steering system is malfunctioning. This can create a safety hazard by making it difficult for the wheels to turn properly to follow the vehicle that is doing the towing. It can cause not only increased damage to the steering system but also to a vehicle's engine and brakes. If a vehicle with power steering problems needs to be towed, it should be towed using a car carrier so that its wheels are completely off the ground while the vehicle is in transit.