Towing or salvage — how to choose correctly

For most motorists 'being towed away' is just 'being towed away'. For the auto helper there is an important difference between towing and recovery — a difference that is about both legislation and safety and determines which solution is right in the specific situation.

§Towing: the temporary solution

Towing is when a car is pulled by another with a rigid tow attachment or an approved tow line while the car being towed still has a driver at the wheel and functioning brakes and steering. The rules set narrow limits: the distance between vehicles must typically be no more than around 4 metres and towing with a line is not permitted on motorways. Towing is therefore only a solution for short distances under controlled conditions — e.g. pulling a car free from a parking space or a few hundred metres to the nearest safe place.

§Recovery: when the car cannot drive itself

Recovery is used when the vehicle does not meet towing requirements — the brakes or steering do not work, there is no driver to sit in the towed vehicle, it must be transported on a motorway, or it is so damaged that driving on its own wheels is not an option at all. Instead, a flatbed truck that lifts the vehicle completely off the road or a crane truck that pulls and lifts it is used before transport. Recovery is the safest and often the only legal solution when the damage is of a certain severity.

§Why the difference is more important than it sounds

A tow that should really have been a recovery is dangerous for all parties. A car without functioning brakes being towed behind another in traffic can skid into the towing vehicle during braking. A car without a driver cannot steer around obstacles. And on a motorway where speed is high, the margin for error is minimal. This is therefore a central part of the autohelper's expertise: being able to judge correctly — not just what the customer wants, but what the situation and law allows.

§Customer's expectations vs. professional assessment

Many customers come to you because they want their savings to grow, not just sit on an account. Investment advice is one of the disciplines in the financial field where the rules are strictest, because the customer — unlike regular savings — can lose money. Here you get an overview of the products and the rules designed to protect the customer along the way.

Being able to distinguish between towing and recovery — and daring to choose the safe option, even if it's more troublesome — is one of the competencies that separates the experienced roadside assistance operator from the beginner.