Keeping Tow Truck Drivers Safe During the Winter Season
Driving in winter is dangerous for every motorist, and extra care is necessary to reduce the risk of collisions. If drivers are negligent and drive in a way that is unsafe given conditions on the roads, victims should pursue a claim for compensation. A Colorado Springs accident law firm can provide representation to those harmed by negligent motorists.
While all drivers are at risk in bad weather, there is one particular group of drivers who face unique risks: tow truck drivers. Tow truck drivers routinely must drive in the worst weather conditions to respond to accidents, and as WVNSTV explains, it is imperative that all motorists do their part in helping to keep tow truck operators as safe as possible as they do difficult jobs.
Helping Tow Truck Drivers Stay Safe on the Road
Tow truck drivers who stop to help vehicles on icy roads are at risk of other drivers striking them when they are on the side of the road working. Move-over laws mandate that drivers who are approaching a first responder on the side of the road move into the other lane when they are able to do so safely in order to reduce the risk that the first responder will be struck by a car. In circumstances where a tow truck driver is responding to a collision or responding to an incapacitated vehicle on the roadside, the move over laws apply to them as well so drivers should clear space.
Unfortunately, sometimes drivers do not obey the rules and move over. In fact, one tow truck driver working for a local towing company told WVNSTV that when he was called to pull a tractor trailer from the woods after the tractor trailer diverted from the turnpike, the tow truck driver requested a lane closure to make sure he would be able to get the car out safely. "If we didn't have a lane closure with the move over law, some people decide to forget about us when you're out there on the side of the road and working,” the driver explained to WVNSTV.
The tow truck driver indicated that while pulling other vehicles out of a ditch, it is not uncommon for other car to also experience an accident at the same location while the tow truck driver is working. While drivers of tow trucks use reflectors to try to ensure that other motorists slow down in dangerous areas, it still creates a high-risk situation if a vehicle goes out of control. “We've been getting them out a few times and have cars come right in with us," Gray said.
Tow truck drivers, and other motorists, will be safer if drivers slow down in poor weather conditions and make sure to exercise caution whenever there is a tow truck or other vehicle on the side of the road. If motorists fail to follow precautions and behave safely on the roads, serious collisions can occur. Victims who are harmed should contact a Colorado Springs accident law firm for help pursuing a claim for compensation.
