Getting your car towed can be a pretty nerve-wracking experience. No one ever really has “time” to get their car towed but if your car has unexpectedly broken down in the middle of the road, there’s often nothing else that you can do other than calling a towing company to get your car to a safe location where it can be repaired.
As soon as you’ve determined that you can’t move your car on its own, you need to call a towing company in New Jersey, or in the area you’re stuck in, but there’s a lot more to towing a car than just calling the tow truck! There are a bunch of things you need to keep in mind to ensure the process goes smoothly! In this post, we’re going to be going over the major Dos and Don’ts you need to keep in mind while getting your car towed!
Do: Turn on your hazards
The first thing you need to do is make sure that the other drivers on the road can see that your car isn’t moving. They need to be able to spot something is wrong from far away. You should turn your hazards on immediately and even put cones around your car if you have them. This will deter them from accidentally running into your car and make matters even worse!
Don’t: Try to move the car on your own
Even though the best thing here is that you pull up to the side of the road, If your car is immobile, leave it where it is. You should not try any maneuvers to get the car to another location on your own, it could be dangerous and you could accidentally damage the car even more.
Do: Get all of your belongings out of the car
When you’re getting your car towed, you won’t be able to be in the car itself until you pick it back up. That is why you need to make sure you have all of your essentials out of the car and with you, safely, before you hand the car over!
Don’t: Stay in it to wait for the tow truck if the car is damaged
If your car has suffered significant damage, it’s better to not wait inside it as the tow truck arrives. You should grab your belongings, and exit the vehicle. Wait at a safe distance where you can still see the vehicle and are reachable for when the tow truck arrives, but are still safe enough away in case the car catches on fire or if there’s an explosion.
Do: Get all of your paperwork in order
Even if you can see your car, if you’re not going to be in it yourself, gather all of your paperwork and keep it on you. That is going to end up being one of the main things you need while getting your car towed so it’s important that you have that safe and sound!
Don’t: Accept help from strangers
When your car is immobile, it’s vulnerable. Anyone who’s not a professional may end up making matters worse by pulling and tugging in a way that could damage your car even more. It’s best to wait for the tow truck to arrive!
Do: Get all the information in order
When the tow truck arrives, make sure you get all the necessary information from them. Especially about where you’re going to pick up your car from. Make sure you specify the location you want the car to be dropped off at to avoid another towing situation at an impound.
Don’t: Sign anything without reading
The towing company will give you an invoice. Make sure you read it properly before signing it to ensure you don’t end up incurring any surprising costs when you go pick up your car!