Safety and responsibility in roadside assistance
Traffic safety electric cars loads and working responsibly
Safety is not part of roadside assistance — it is the prerequisite for it. You work close to moving traffic, with heavy vehicles and powerful equipment, and a mistake can cost lives. The skilled roadside assistant is the one who solves the task without anyone getting hurt.
§The danger of skin and eye contact, ingestion, and spray mist.
The greatest single risk in the trade is being hit by passing traffic. Drivers drive too fast, are distracted or don't see you in darkness and rain. That is why you always secure the site with barriers and warning lights, position your vehicle as a shield and keep yourself and the customer away from moving traffic — typically behind the crash barrier. You face the traffic so you can see danger coming.
§Securing the accident site
Securing the site means making it visible and predictable for other road users so they can adapt in time. You do this with your vehicle's warning lights, warning triangle placed at appropriate distance before the incident, and cones as conditions allow. On motorway and at high speed, the marking must be earlier and clearer because cars come fast.
§Electric and hybrid cars.
Electric and hybrid cars contain high-voltage systems that can be life-threatening if handled incorrectly. You need to know how to safely approach an electric car, how it may be towed and transported – many electric cars must not be towed on their wheels – and what you do if the battery is damaged. The trade increasingly requires special knowledge of electric cars, and you never work on high-voltage systems you are not trained for.
§Correct securing of load
A car on a flatbed or hanging from a crane is a heavy load that must be secured according to cargo securing regulations. A load that is not lashed correctly can shift during braking or in a turn and become a lethal projectile. You secure in safe attachment points, check the securing and verify it again after the first few kilometres because it can settle. Never overload your vehicle.
- 01Strap the load in secure points on both vehicle and cargo bed.
- 02Use enough and correct lashing equipment.
- 03Check equipment on known voltage source so you know it works.
- 04Observe the vehicle's permitted weight.
§Powerful equipment demands respect
Winches, cranes, and lifting equipment
§Responsibility and judgment
Finally safety is about judgment. Some situations are too dangerous to tackle alone, so you call for more help, police or rescue service. Being able to judge when a task exceeds what you can safely handle is not weakness – it is professional maturity. No car is worth risking a life for.