What Causes Damage to a Car During Towing?

September 5, 2022 By WebGuy

Nobody wants to get their car towed, even if it’s necessary. However, it’s even more troublesome if you find your vehicle is damaged during the towing process. Damage is a possibility that not many consider, but it can happen to any car that gets towed. This article examines how a car can be damaged during towing and what signs to watch out for. Keep reading to get all the details now.

Tips From Tow Service in Raleigh: Possible Car Damage

Bumper Damage

Bumper damage is the first and most common type of damage your car might sustain during towing. This damage includes the bumper becoming loose, cracked, or even coming off entirely.
Bumper damage happens when the towing service places the tow hook in a poor position. If not set correctly, the hook puts undue stress on the bumper from underneath, causing cracks or separation from the car frame. In addition, if the chain is too loose, the car may bump into the back of the tow truck as it’s being towed, which will also result in bumper damage.

Tire Damage

Towing can also cause damage to your car’s tires. This damage could result from a piece of metal on the tow truck’s bed puncturing a hole in one of the tires, or it could be more serious, such as the tire track getting damaged by the tow truck’s chain.

Windshield Damage

Damage to the windshield is another form of damage a car can sustain during towing. After your vehicle has been towed, check if there are new scratches or cracks in your car’s windshield. This damage is usually due to rocks or debris thrown into the windshield from the tow truck’s tires. It’s a common occurrence because a car being towed is typically towed very close behind the truck, which makes it the first target for debris thrown up by the truck’s tires.

Keep a Record

Before your car is towed, take photos of the vehicle for your records. Then if there is damage to the car, you can show your insurance company the vehicle’s condition before it was towed. In addition, always use a reliable, professional towing service.

Unlimited Recovery & Towing

Because car damage during towing can be such a problem, it’s essential to go with a towing service that has demonstrated professionalism with their customers, like Unlimited Recovery & Towing. We are a top-rated tow service in Raleigh NC. Our experienced drivers know the proper and safe way to tow vehicles without causing damage. Contact us at 919-790-9393 for all your towing needs.

What Is Non-Consensual Towing?

September 6, 2021 By WebGuy

Non-consensual towing is when a law enforcement agency seizes legal custody of a vehicle. But, that’s only a tiny part of it because the entire process of towing, detaining, and insurance is more complex. For example, in a non-consensual tow, law enforcement contacts a towing company to relocate vehicles from a street, highway, or property. The towing company usually has a prearranged agreement with the law enforcement agency to carry out this work.

When Non-Consensual Towing Happens

A law enforcement agency or officer is prompted to order a tow when there’s an accident scene, a vehicle breakdown, or a crime scene. Depending on the time and location, these situations can cause traffic hazards or delays. Hence, the officer needs to act swiftly by making a report and calling the towing company to intervene.

Ideally, police officers have what’s called- a “rotation list,” which contains the details of local towing service providers. Using that list, they will call each company on that list in succession.

Vehicle Owner Problems

Often the owner of the vehicle has no choice in the matter but can be slapped with an outrageous bill that includes all types of fees. Some of the fees seen on these towing bills include:

Equipment fee for trucks sent to the scene that were not used
Extra personnel fee for people sent to the scene
Arbitrary emergency call-out fees or fire department fees
Cargo transfer fees (for trucks carrying cargo)
Storage fee (if the vehicle is taken to a holding lot)
Paperwork fee to release vehicle

To add to your pain, the towing company has your vehicle, and they can hold it hostage until all fees are paid. Most people merely pay the fees to get their car back.

Many car insurance companies pay towing fees as part of an accident claim – another reason towing companies are happy to pad their bills with extra fees.

What Can You Do?

Due to the variety of laws and regulations that vary from city, county, and state, it is best to be prepared to handle contacting a trusted towing company yourself. Keep contact information for your towing company of choice on your phone. Inform law enforcement that you will handle getting your vehicle towed.

If that choice is taken out of your hands, contact your insurance company and tell them the circumstances. No one likes being taken advantage of, especially when in a vulnerable situation, including insurance companies. Let them handle it. They have the resources to investigate insurance fraud.

Unlimited Recovery and Towing

Don’t be caught off guard in a non-consensual towing situation. Have a reliable, trusted, and fair towing company on speed dial. Unlimited Recovery and Towing is here for you. Keep our number on your phone and call us when needed – we’re ready to help. Our number is 919-790-9393.

Tips For Traveling Safely On Wet Roads

October 5, 2020 By WebGuy

While rain makes the weather pleasant, it still brings with it many consequences. The roads get wet, and the driving conditions are not ideal. Because of this, many car accidents occur. However, it is essential to be responsible if roads are wet, so you don’t get into a car accident. Here are some important driving tips that you should follow for wet road safety.

Safe Driving Tips

Keep Safe Distance

Always keep a safe distance between your car and the car in front of you. Wet roads require that distance to be greater than dry roads. A greater stopping distance is to protect yourself and the person in front of you. With any sudden stop, you need to control the car whatever the road conditions. Not maintaining a safe distance, can result in a rear end collision due to skidding on the wet road. Avoid this by driving reducing speed and keeping a safe distance.

Keep Tires In Check

Many people get into accidents because the tires have worn treads, or they don’t have the proper air pressure. Keeping your tires in tip-top shape is why this is one of the most important driving tips for your safety. Perform regular checks on your tires by checking the tread wear. As a general rule of thumb, your tires’ treads have to be 1/16th of an inch deep to give you the traction you need on wet roads. (A quick test is the Penny test.) Apart from that, it is essential to perform a routine air pressure check and give your tires the maintenance they need every month. This way, they won’t wear and tear so easily.

Keep Headlights On

In such weather, you should keep your headlights on even during the day. Headlights need to be on so other people on the road cans see your car, and you can see theirs. It will give you and others the safety you need on a wet road.

Never Slam Brakes

Don’t ever slam the brakes on a wet road. Wet roads reduce friction and this action may lead to you losing control of the car and crashing. Always brake slowly on a wet road. Keeping a safe distance is vital in wet conditions to brake completely without hitting another vehicle.

Contact Unlimited Recovery and Towing

Any harsh weather condition calls for you to adjust your driving by following these driving tips. Road safety is no joke and should be taken seriously at all times. If you get stuck during such a situation and need a towing service, please contact us. Call Unlimited Recovery and Towing at 919-790-9393.

Why You Need to Have a Towing Company You Can Call

February 9, 2019 By WebGuy

Why Worry About Having a Tow Truck On Call?

Towing services are essential because they can transport your vehicle home or to a garage if it breaks down and can’t be driven anywhere. First off we highly recommend that you DON’T just try and to tow your car with another car, you could very easily cause severe damage to both, then you’re in need of two trucks! Things can turn south far faster than you may realize. The best thing you can do it call a professional towing and recovery company and wait. Save yourself the time and money and go ahead and call a professional towing and recovery company in today.

The first reason you should not pull your vehicle with another vehicle is that it’s hard to get a good hook up and you need to have super heavy duty chains to avoid breaking. Not being hooked up properly could lead to a runaway car, and if this happens, it can veer off the road and go over an embankment or hit a tree thereby causing more damage. A car moving without a driver is a couple ton wrecking ball, it can cause immense damages. In worse scenario, it can veer into the opposite lane and hit another vehicle or stop dead in the road where someone behind could hit it. Regardless of what COULD happen, you need to avoid the chance of that completely and just have a professional towing company come in.

You Can Easily Cause MORE Damages

A towing service is also essential because you can cause damage to the back end of the vehicle doing the pulling and the front end of the one being towed if they collide together. It is very difficult if not impossible to get two vehicles going together at the same speed, any anything other than that risks great damages. If the engine of the vehicle doing the towing is not large and powerful enough to support the one being towed, you run the risk of putting too much strain on it and this can have detrimental effects on the other car.

You also have to take into consideration that in some areas, towing a vehicle with anything other than the actual tow truck may be illegal. It is considered a dangerous practice which can easily put other drivers in jeopardy. If you are in one of these areas, you run the risk of being ticketed and having to pay a very large fine. Chances are that that fine alone will cost more than a towing service would have to get you safely where you need to go.

Protect Your Vehicle

Using a professional and reputable tow service is crucial because it’s much more safe and also protects your vehicle. You won’t have to worry about any of the possible issues listed above if you do make the right choice to begin with. Towing companies are very experienced and you don’t have to risk any kind of damage. Don’t take the risk, you should get roadside towing service and enjoy the feeling that having peace of mind brings. It’s a great feeling to know that you’ll be taken care of when you need it, and it will save you so many future headaches.

When you need a tow truck call Unlimited Recovery at 919-790-9393. We are here to cover you in all of your towing, parking lot enforcement, and emergency recovery services!