Tow truck drivers have a risky job. They often work at crash scenes along busy, dangerous roads.
But now, new technologies are making their jobs safer.
Night Vision and Surround View Systems
New tow trucks have infrared night vision cameras and display screens available. They detect heat signatures in the dark and show a clear night vision video image. This gives drivers much better awareness when working at night.
Surround view camera systems are also helpful at night.
Stability Control Systems
Tow trucks have to quickly speed up, slow down and turn with heavy loads. This shifts the center of gravity and weight balance a lot. And if tow truck drivers have to maneuver or brake suddenly with a heavy vehicle in tow, it can increase rollover risk.
Stability control systems are now offered by some tow truck makers.
Sensors monitor if the tow truck starts to tip or sway from abrupt steering or braking. The system can then reduce engine power and apply brakes to certain wheels. This helps prevent rollovers or loss of control accidents.
Rearview Mirror Camera Displays
New tow trucks let drivers see behind towed vehicles.
They have rear-facing cameras that show the view down road on video screens in the cab. Drivers can then use them to see vehicles behind the tow truck. The camera displays also let them see traffic behind the towed vehicle.
Onboard Safety Monitoring Systems
Some tow truck fleets are using onboard safety monitoring systems. These systems use cameras, radars, sensors and satellite tracking.
They can detect unsafe driving behaviors. And the systems also send alerts if seat belts are not used or drivers operate vehicles beyond maximum work hours.
Safety managers can review driving data and camera footage. They can then coach drivers on needed skills improvements. The cameras also help resolve questions after any accident reports.
Blind Spot Warning Systems
Tow trucks have large blind spots around them due to their size.
New trucks can have blind-spot monitors installed. These monitors use radar sensors on the rear and sides of trucks.
When drivers activate turn signals, the systems check blind spots. If another vehicle is detected in the truck’s path, loud beeping alerts sound. This helps prevent unsafe lane changes and merges.
Some systems also watch for vehicles driving up quickly in parallel lanes. Drivers get alerts if a car is in a spot that may soon become a blind area. The extra alerts improve awareness so drivers can avoid unsafely merging in front of faster traffic.
Lane Departure Warning Technology
Towing damaged vehicles on ramps, overpasses or around curves takes a lot of focus. If attention wanders, tow trucks can drift out of lanes. Newer trucks have lane departure warning technology installed.
These systems use forward-looking cameras or sensors to define lane marker positions. When trucks start to drift without turn signals on, alarms sound. This gets drivers’ attention back on steering before they accidentally leave lanes.
Fatigue and Distraction Monitoring Systems
Driving while overly tired or distracted are big safety risks. Tow truck drivers often work unusual overnight, weekend and holiday hours. Fatigue can set in and make accidents more likely.
New monitoring technology helps prevent drowsy or distracted driving. Inward-facing cameras with infrared sensors track drivers’ faces.
The systems monitor eyelid movements, head positions and driving behaviors. Alarms activate if drivers show signs of nodding off or not watching the road.
In-cab displays also discourage phone use while driving. Messages alert drivers if distraction monitoring senses they are using phones instead of paying attention.
Alcohol Detection Systems
Driving under the influence puts everyone sharing roads at great risk.
Advanced alcohol detection systems now exist for commercial trucks and fleet vehicles. These use touch-based or breath-based sensors to estimate drivers’ blood alcohol levels. The systems disable ignition systems if alcohol over set legal limits is detected.
Given how effective they are, alcohol detection systems will likely spread to more work truck applications in the coming years. This technology ensures tow truck drivers stay within legal alcohol limits to protect public safety.
Onboard Tire Pressure Monitoring
Tow trucks routinely drive heavy loads up steep highways and mountain grades. This puts a lot of stress on tires. Underinflated tires can overheat and fail.
With new technology, sensors on each wheel wirelessly relay pressure levels. And then dashboard displays notify drivers if any tire pressure drops 25% or more below recommended levels.
TPMS alerts let drivers pull over promptly to check tires. Catching low pressure early prevents dangerous blowout conditions before they happen.
Maintaining full inflation also improves tow truck braking distances and responsiveness.
Advanced Tow Lighting Systems
Tow trucks use bright emergency lights when working roadside accidents and breakdown scenes. This helps alert passing traffic to slow down, move over and proceed cautiously.
However, traditional magnetic mount lightbars can fall off tow trucks. The heavy lights also block forward vision out of cab-top windows. New “hide-away” emergency lighting systems solve these issues.
The lights integrate sleekly into modern truck designs with less wind resistance. Low-profile light tubes are installed underneath truck side molding or grille bars. And the advanced LEDs produce super bright directional lighting.
The lights “hide away” when not needed. At emergency scenes, tow truck drivers can switch them on for ultra visibility. The systems provide excellent warning lights without vision blockage or detachment issues.
Rear Crash Prevention Technologies
A major risk for tow trucks is getting hit from behind. When helping stranded motorists, they are vulnerable to distraction or poor visibility.
New supplemental LED lights indicate tow truck presence to drivers far behind them. The bright strobing red brake lamps are 5x larger than standard ones. This better grabs the attention of distant fast-approaching vehicles.
Radar and camera sensors also watch for vehicles quickly closing in. When fast incoming cars get too close, loud audible alerts warn the tow operator. This gives them precious extra seconds to take evasive action and avoid getting struck.
Jack-Knife Prevention Systems
Shifting heavy wrecked cars causes load weight to transfer and tow truck handling dynamics to change.
Trucks can jack-knife if the weight balance between the truck cab and the towed vehicle becomes too uneven. As tow trucks and loads start jack-knifing, rapid acceleration of swing out occurs. This causes rollovers as tow trucks spin out.
New stabilize control systems use weight sensors and lateral movement detectors. At the first sign of unsafe sway, it applies selective brakes to individual wheels. This keeps tow trucks from excessively fishtailing and avoids dangerous jack-knife rollovers.
Cargo Securement Sensor Systems
Tow truck drivers have to properly secure towed vehicles before transporting them. Chains or straps must be correctly rigged and tightened. Loose debris must also be collected from accident scenes.
However, undetected loose items can still get overlooked in the rush to clear accident scenes. Road vibrations can then cause unsecured junk debris to fly out and strike other vehicles. The after-effects of this can be draining. The driver may have to call a tow truck accident lawyer and hire them to defend against lawsuits. Injuries and healthcare costs may also have to be taken care of.
Cargo sensor systems can currently detect if chains loosen or heavy objects shift excessively in truck beds. And buzzing alerts indicate to drivers when more tie-downs or debris pickup is necessary before proceeding.
The sensors verify no overlooked unsecure cargo to prevent accidents.
Accident Scene Work Zone Alert Technologies
Getting struck while working emergency roadside scenes is an ever-present tow truck driver danger. Passing motorists are often distracted and fail to slow or move over. This leads to hundreds of tow operator deaths annually.
New technologies automatically alert nearby drivers to take caution. Tow trucks can link via short-range networking to enabled cars. This transmits alerts to vehicle dashboard screens or mobile apps about nearby work zones.
Geofencing sensors also mark roadside work accident sites like construction zones. Equipped vehicles receive warning alerts to proceed slowly whenever entering a monitored hazard zone area.
These alerts remind motorists to allow extra stopping space for roadside workers. Drivers learn about blocked lanes and incidents ahead to approach cautiously. This improves work zone safety for tow operators.
Intelligent Driver Assistance Technologies
Tow truck makers equip new vehicles with intelligent transportation system (ITS) capabilities. ITS integrations allow tow trucks to exchange real-time data with modern car sensors and smart infrastructure.
For example, new cars detect crashes automatically and relay vehicle diagnostics. Tow dispatchers then receive exact stalled location and disablement codes to send proper equipment.
Traffic controls also report real-time congestion levels. And so tow trucks can receive optimal route guidance to reach incidents faster. Some trucks even have sensors to “talk” to self-driving cars at accident scenes.
These ITS capabilities help tow trucks respond to emergencies quicker. Faster response reduces dangers of secondary accidents and saves lives by speeding medical transports.
Conclusion – Toward Safer Roads for Everyone
Tow truck drivers make huge sacrifices to keep highways clear and traffic flowing. Sadly, many suffer serious injuries or get killed while supporting public safety efforts.
Advancing technologies make tow truck operations less dangerous – benefitting workers and all road users.