Car Towing in Australia

Car towing is the process of pulling anything such as trailers, tractors, watercrafts, and cargo with the use of your car. Car towing is also used in transporting vehicles stuck in the middle of the road due to accidents or other mishaps to a secured location for processing.

Towing services operators can be contacted by driver using mobile phones. These operators have websites that provide contact details and other services for drivers. In others, operators contact an available tow truck driver via mobile radio or text messaging.
Towing service operators have the capability to store vehicles that have been wrecked or impounded by local authorities in a storage lot. Some operators prevent access to these vehicles unless authorities give the signal for the owner to claim it.

Accident towing may also refer to pulling light and heavy vehicles involved in accidents. In Australia, each State has specific laws regarding the accident towing industry such as the number of accident towing vehicles and the allocation of tow trucks to road accident sites. New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria have their own respective tow truck acts. Tow trucks are also identified by number plates ending in TT.
The types of towing equipment in common usage today include:

• Boom - an adjustable boom winch used for recovering vehicles in a ditch, culvert or any place that a vehicle cannot be safely backed-up to.
• Hook and chain - these are sometimes used for towing vehicles that have one or two of the front or rear wheels missing.
• Wheel-lift - this picks up the drive wheels of the vehicle touching only the tires.
• Flatbed - the entire back of truck is fitted with a hydraulic-powered bed that inclines and moves to ground level that allows the vehicle to be placed on it.
• Integrated - boom and wheel-lift equipment integrated into one unit to repossess vehicle or move illegally parked cars.

The Australian National Towing Association (ANTA) is the peak body that represents the interests of all member car towing operators and provides a venue for the exchange of knowledge and addressing issues that affect the industry with government authorities. It also promotes the use of professional car towing services. ANTA is also affiliated with the Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA) which represents particular aspects of the car towing industry.

Accident safety tips for drivers

• Check the gravity of the damage on the vehicle. Turn the engine off and check for any leaks.
• Call the towing service operator and provide them with all the necessary information such as your location, the damage on the vehicle, and the vehicle's weight so that they may be able to provide the necessary tools to tow it.
• Different vehicles and scenarios require different towing equipment. Be specific as much to the operator as much as possible.
• Keep calm and maintain contact with the towing service operator as all times. There is no need to panic.
• Verify if nobody got hurt. Call an ambulance right away when people are hurt because of the accident.