Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Many of us call a tow truck if we’ve been an accident or if our car breaks down, but tow trucks can also be the cause of accidents. Tow truck accidents in Hollywood and South Florida can cause devastating injuries as well as significant property damage (especially if it’s your car on the back of the tow truck involved in the crash).
Tow trucks are large trucks designed to transport cars and other vehicles. They may be used to transport cars that are illegally parked, are no longer functional, or cars that are new and need to be moved from one place to another. There are many types of tow trucks, including a hook and chain truck (frequently used for towing illegally parked cars), boom tow trucks, flatbed tow trucks (often used for transporting farming equipment, trucks, new cars, and other vehicles), integrated tow trucks, and wheel lift tow trucks.
All of these trucks have one thing in common: they are heavy pieces of equipment that can be devastating in the event of a collision. There are a few reasons why tow trucks can get into accidents:
1) They may make unexpected maneuvers on city streets and highways.
As part of their job, tow truck operators may need to drive along residential streets or head to remote areas on the side of a highway where someone’s car has broken down. Tow trucks may need to stop on the side of the road, which can put tow truck operators at risk of pedestrian accidents. In addition, operators may need to make unexpected stops or starts.
2) They have many blind spots.
Tow trucks are large vehicles, and like all large trucks may have multiple blind spots. When a tow truck is fully loaded, especially, a larger vehicle on the truck can block the driver’s view of other cars around them.
3) They carry dangerous cargo.
Tow trucks carry heavy vehicles, including farm equipment, trucks, and cars. If this cargo is not secured properly, it can shift or even slide off the tow truck, causing devastating accidents.
In addition to these reasons, tow trucks may be in accidents for all the same reasons that any trucks are in accidents: due to driver negligence, fatigue driving, poor road design, and other drivers on the roads.
If you see a tow truck on the roads, stay alert. You can avoid truck accidents in Hollywood and across South Florida by using a little common sense when sharing the road. When driving around tow trucks, make sure that you:
- Give them plenty of room
- Slow down and move out of the way when you see a tow truck on the side of the road helping a customer
- Never cut off tow trucks
- Make eye contact with tow truck operators to ensure they can see you
if you have been injured in a tow truck accident, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free, no obligation case review. Depending on the cause of the accident, you may have a claim against the tow truck operator, company, municipality, or other liable parties. Our attorneys can advise you about your situation and may be able to represent you if you decide to pursue a legal claim.