Highway Gamble: When Tow Operators Take Extreme Risks

By Randall C. Resch

A recent forum video captured my attention for all the wrong reasons—specifically, the risks some operators take by placing themselves directly in harm’s way.

An online video clearly shows a tower actively defying the odds of being struck and killed while loading a pickup stranded in the center divider of a high-speed highway. The post created quite a tither among safety-conscious operators, and for obvious reasons.

Plenty of towers lobbed comments back and forth—some supporting the operator’s actions, others pushing back with the perspective of seasoned professionals who fully understand the dangers of traffic-side recoveries. If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one is a textbook example of what not to do.

Click Bait

The opening shot is a still photo sent to me showing the tower walking with his back to traffic, standing in an active lane while waving vehicles away as he moves toward traffic-side controls. Because the video depicts some of the most flagrant safety violations imaginable, one has to ask: is this simply click bait, designed to generate likes and subscribers?

The narrow center median appeared barely as wide as the carrier itself. The scene lacked any meaningful on-scene safety measures—no law enforcement presence, no cones, flares, or triangles to provide advanced emergency warning in an extremely dangerous environment.

Are You Kidding Me?

In nearly 29 years of writing hundreds of tow-operator safety articles, the topic of white-line and non-traffic-side safety has been a recurring focus. More than 750 tow operators have been killed on U.S. highways since the mid-1920s, and in many of those cases, operators were standing, walking, or working on the traffic side.

In recent years, non-traffic-side operations have taken a backseat to flashier topics—how-to rotator work, if it fits, it ships, even creative billing. Meanwhile, on-highway safety and survival has been pushed into the wings. Is this generational? Or is it the lack of enforceable highway safety requirements that allows operators to sidestep best practices?

For well-trained, safety-conscious towers, the belief that Slow Down, Move Over laws provide real protection is naïve at best. Towers should never assume motorists care about their safety or well-being.

Equally dangerous is the attempt to cheat fate by standing between vehicles and trying to coax drivers to move over. While my review of this video may seem brash, from a training standpoint it serves as a perfect example of how to get killed. I’ve filed it squarely under: Are You Kidding Me?

Deadly Considerations

Upon arrival, tow operators must immediately assess the extreme dangers present on narrow shoulders. Requesting highway patrol presence should be an instant consideration. If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one clearly highlights several critical failures: 1. Forcing an eight-foot-wide carrier into an eight-foot-wide shoulder invites a strike from distracted motorists drifting into the work zone.1. Forcing an eight-foot-wide carrier into an eight-foot-wide shoulder invites a strike from distracted motorists drifting into the work zone.2. Unless permitted by state law, blocking part of an active lane by angling tow trucks is illegal.2. Unless permitted by state law, blocking part of an active lane by angling tow trucks is illegal.3. Using a second tow truck as a “blocker” may itself violate the law and raise serious liability questions.3. Using a second tow truck as a “blocker” may itself violate the law and raise serious liability questions.4. In a lawsuit, attorneys may ask why a second tow vehicle was present at all, especially where it is not legally classified as an emergency vehicle.4. In a lawsuit, attorneys may ask why a second tow vehicle was present at all, especially where it is not legally classified as an emergency vehicle.5. Many operators lack formal training for TIM-related, on-highway environments.5. Many operators lack formal training for TIM-related, on-highway environments.6. The “it won’t happen to me” mindset remains dangerously common.6. The “it won’t happen to me” mindset remains dangerously common.7. In moderate to heavy traffic, motorists often 7. In moderate to heavy traffic, motorists often cannot move over due to congestion. move over due to congestion.8. When operators claim they can’t use non-traffic-side controls because of K-rails, one must ask why wireless controls aren’t being used.8. When operators claim they can’t use non-traffic-side controls because of K-rails, one must ask why wireless controls aren’t being used.9. Despite OSHA, NIOSH, and CDC recommendations, cones, triangles, and flares are still dismissed as “inconvenient.”9. Despite OSHA, NIOSH, and CDC recommendations, cones, triangles, and flares are still dismissed as “inconvenient.”

Own Worst Enemy

For more than 50 years, I’ve watched towers work high-speed highways with alarming complacency. Perhaps it’s the lure of the all-American dollar—where pay outweighs safety—that drives some to ignore proven precautions.

I’m tired of watching operators disregard safety day after day. I’m tired of hearing coworkers and owners say, “He did everything right,” when the evidence often says otherwise. If he truly had done everything right, wouldn’t he still be alive—simply by staying off the dangerous traffic side?

Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired, veteran, California police officer, former tow business owner and industry advocate. As consultant and trainer, he authored and teaches tow truck operator safety courses approved by the California Highway Patrol. For 55-years, he has been involved in the towing and recovery industry. In 29-years, he has contributed more than 775-safety focused articles for American Towman Magazine, TowIndustryWeek.com and is a frequent seminar presenter and beauty pageant judge at tow shows. In 2014, he was inducted to the International Towing and Recovery Industry Hall of Fame, was the 3rd recipient of the industry's "Dave Jones Leadership Award," and is a member of American Towman’s Safety Committee.

Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.