TowTimes.com - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Renews IITR’s Application for Car Carrier Securement

[TowTimes]

Source: International Institute of Towing and Recovery press release

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced its decision to renew the application from the International Institute of Towing and Recovery (IITR) for an exemption from 49 CFR 393.112 to allow commercial vehicle operators to continue to secure automobiles, light trucks and vans using four points of securement with two fixed and two adjustable chains or straps in compliance with 49 CFR 393.128. The Agency has determined that the use of four points of securement to secure light vehicles will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety provided by the regulation.

In its application, the IITR stated that the towing industry has long adopted a four-point securement method for light vehicles whereby two non-adjustable tie downs are attached to the rear of the vehicle and then two adjustable chains are used to secure the front of the vehicle.  As each front binder or ratchet is tightened, it also tightens the rear tie down providing four-points of securement.

IITR stated in its petition that this securement system will prevent lateral, forward, rearward and vertical movement of the disabled vehicle as prescribed in 49 CFR 393.128, and that this four-point tie down system exceeds the minimum tie down requirements specified in the FMCSA regulations. The winch line is not considered to be a part of the securement system.

The International Institute of Towing and Recovery (IITR) is a non-profit organization that began in 1988 through the efforts of professional educators, towing and recovery professionals, towing equipment manufacturers and the American Automobile Association (AAA). Their mission is to serve as a source of education and to otherwise support the towing industry in the development of tow truck operator training, and to work with those in the educational field in developing programs for the specific purpose of furthering educational opportunities of those in the towing and recovery business.

 

 

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[rreschran]

Perhaps as a life-saving move in the better interests of tow operator survivability, Title 49 laws should be ammended to allow only a two-point tie-down for moving cars when deemed dangerous by the operator to help reduce operator strikes. In my opinion, both federal law and state laws actually put tow operators directly in-harms-way by requiring a four point or complete restraint before departing the tow or load location. These are the kind of laws that need change as the reflect the dangers of distracted driving. Ammending 393.106 or 393.110 to allow only two-point tie-down in critically dangerous areas would certainly help to reduce operator fatalitiies. Towers should then have an allowable responsibility to move to a safe/safer location, or first ramp off the highway, and then complete total four-point tie-down. While I support IITR's attempt to take close look at securment law, there's no direct focus to address one of the main reasons tow truck and carrier operators are struck while working to secure customer vehicles while working the side of flowing traffic.