You are driving on the freeway and your car breaks down. Your mind instantly starts adding up all of the possible costs of what it will take to get your vehicle in working order again. In an effort to cut costs you start to consider whether or not towing your own car is a good idea. Though towing your own car may seem like a fast, reasonable solution, it is not recommended for a variety of reasons.

Problem with DIY Methods Such as a Tow Strap or Dolly

Many people who try do it yourself towing only use a tow rope. While tow ropes are amazing for getting your vehicle out of a ditch, they are not recommended for towing vehicles long distances. A secure connection must be made between the car doing the towing and the car being towed. If that connection is not secure there could be serious damage to the bumper of the car. You also run the risk of the car become detached during transport. If you have a trailer or a tow bar you can use those to transport a car a few miles. Towing long distances even with a tow bar or trailer is still not recommended. Another concern with towing a vehicle yourself is that motorists may not see your brake lights while you are driving, putting all passengers and other cars on the road at risk.

You Must Drive Differently when Towing a Car

Most drivers do not have any knowledge on how to properly drive while towing another vehicle. To safely tow another car, you will have to take much wider turns than normal to make sure the towed car doesn’t hit the curb. The additional mass of a second vehicle can cause the driver to lose control of both cars and cause an accident. Many people who attempt to tow their own cars often lose control when driving too fast or making risky merges.

Mismatched Towing Capacity

One of the unseen risks of towing a car on your own is towing capacity mismatch. If the vehicle doing the towing cannot handle the weight of the vehicle being towed, braking and handling on the roadways will be hindered. Even if you manage to successfully complete the tow, the engine of the car that did the towing could be damaged.

Local Regulations & Car Towing Laws

All states have their own towing rules and restrictions. Most states require a towing vehicle to use taillights and safety chains. An additional rearview mirror and side mirrors could also be required for legal towing depending on the state. If you are pulled over for illegally towing another vehicle, you could be heavily fined. Fines for doing the towing on your own would completely negate the reason that you were trying to do it yourself in the first place – to save money!

Towing, Roadside Assistance & More in Addison, Balch Springs, Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Cockrell Hill, Combine, Coppell, DeSoto, Farmers Branch, Ferris, Garland, Glenn Heights, Grapevine, Highland Park, Hutchins, Lancaster, Lewisville, Ovilla, Richardson, Rowlett, Sachse, Seagoville, Sunnyvale, University Park, Wilmer, Wylie, Duncanville, Grand Prairie, Arlington, Irving, Mesquite & Greater Dallas, Texas

So if you are stranded on the side of the road and are considering towing the vehicle on your own, you may want to reevaluate that decision. Citywide Towing Service is here for all of your towing needs! We offer towing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the Greater Dallas, Texas area.