Run Away Tow Truck (WA)

[TowNews]

Video shows runaway tow truck caught on Trooper Dash Cam.

 

 

A tow truck almost needed a tow after the driver forgot to set the parking brake when he arrived at a crash scene on Highway 12 near Burbank.

 

The driver had stopped his truck on the steep slope of the median near the Snake River bridge, said Trooper Chris Thorson. When he climbed out of the truck at 7 a.m. Tuesday, he forgot to set his brake.

 

He was preparing to load up one of the two cars from the collision when his truck began rolling forward through the median, heading toward on-coming traffic.

 

Trooper Thorson caught the mishap on video, and posted it to Twitter, including the truck driver giving chase.

Thorson told the Herald that the steep slope of the median and loose dirt stopped the truck’s momentum before it rolled into the on-coming lanes.

 

RESOURCE LINK with video

[GRUMPS The Towman]

🤨..... And we all wonder why we cant get treated like professionals...

[rreschran]

This police cam video is a great example of one of those, "OH SHIT", moments where tower's chase their trucks and sometimes wind-up being run-over and killed. In many years, I've archived as many as 15x tow operators who were killed by their rolling/runaway tow trucks or carriers when the E-Brakes weren't set or they failed to hold the truck in-place.  I'm glad this tower wasn't hurt

 

To that point, in EVERY 16-hour tow truck course I teach, I count at least four or five tower's who "forget" to put E-Brakes on, especially in wreckers and carriers that have automatic transmissions ... how embarassing ... how incredibally dangerous. And, I'll bet you this tow operator wasn't cited for failing to set the Emergency brake? In California, Vehicle Code Section 26450 states, "Every motor vehicle shall equipped with a service brake system and every motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, shall be equipped with a parking brake system. Both the service brake and parking brake shall be separately applied." Like wearing seatbelts, I believe E-Brakes should be part of every tower's routine.          R.

       

[GRUMPS The Towman]

The parking brake is set on my rig before the p.t.o. is even engaged. It is just a habit I developed through the years. ( probably the only 'good' habit btw...)