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Randall C. Resch
At the Texas Tow Show in July 2026, I asked a room full of owners, “How many companies sent their towers to TIM training?” Only a handful raised their hands. Considering Texas has the second-highest fatality rate of all states, you’d think TIM training would be a doable priority.
Years ago, Towman’s, Terry Abejuela and I attended the National Traffic Incident Management “Train the Trainer” course at Visalia’s Fire Department in Visalia, California. Having worked in responder industries for more than 50 years, this particular TIM course was the best safety and survival course I’ve ever attended.
Forty-eight responders attended, representing CalTrans, fire departments, law enforcement, California Highway Patrol, and seven tow companies. Having various disciplines participate together provided different perspectives on highway response as a group effort, far beyond responsibilities assigned only to tow operators.
The importance of on-scene safety was made noticeably clear by TIM instructors Ron Moore and Grady Carrick, both veteran police and fire administrators. Ron and Grady are commended for their commitment to training and dedication to a program I describe as “potentially life-saving.”
Course topics included:
- TIM Fundamentals and Terminology
- Non-Traffic Side Safety
- Notification and Scene Size-Up
- Safe Vehicle Positioning
- Command Responsibilities
- Traffic Management
- Special Circumstances
- Clearance and Termination
Training With Purpose
TIM stresses the importance of “Quick Clear” methodology, including problems caused by congestion, depleted emergency assets, secondary crashes, Haz-Mat, medical response, extrication, financial impacts, and tow and recovery.
Discussions focused on the importance of law enforcement providing accurate dispatch information to tow companies. Accurate locations and equipment needs are paramount. The intention? Towers should arrive on-scene with the proper equipment and trained operators based on a detailed assessment by law enforcement.
Day two’s tabletop exercises involved participants working through scenarios relating to arrival assessment, vehicle placement, Quick Clearance priorities and problem solving. Attendees also went outside for situational-awareness activities demonstrating angled and linear placement of fire trucks and arrow-board trucks, effective cone-flare patterns, and how to safely enter and exit working vehicles.
Command and Confidence
Comments by instructors and attending law enforcement officers praised tow operator abilities. I felt proud of what we towers do after seeing the total presentation on incident management. In fact, I sat with a goofy smile nearly the entire time.
TIM’s nationwide program is available to highway responders. Currently, some states require towers at all levels to attend four-hour traffic incident management courses. Accordingly, operators serving California Highway Patrol Tow Service Agreements (TSA) require a TIM certificate in the operator’s file.
Fatality numbers confirm highway responders are at great risk. Consider that approximately 12 police officers are killed monthly across the U.S., along with five fire department personnel. It’s estimated that more than 120 Public Works/Tow/DOT/Safety Patrol workers are killed each year. At the highest count, as many as 32 towers were killed in 2012 industry-wide.
Don’t listen to imprecise reporting claiming “one operator is killed every six days.” That’s bunk! However, there’s an industry expectation that through repetitive training, towers can work smarter and lower fatality numbers.
The course videos and pictures demonstrated the importance of working on the “non-traffic side” to reduce pedestrian strikes. TIM demands towers replace old highway attitudes with awareness that provides tactical advantages.
Taken to Heart
Distracted driving won’t go away. Not even all the enforcement in the world will correct or eradicate distracted driving, DUI, extreme weather conditions, excessive speeds for conditions, and other factors that create crashes and ultimately kill or maim innocent responders and towers.
A “live-taught” TIM course, at its basic level, is outstanding training that gives towers a better understanding of the carnage caused by distracted driving. Move-Over laws don’t work alone. On-scene survival is the responsibility of every responder, regardless of position or discipline.
I urge tow company owners, tow operators and dispatch staff to attend a TIM course to fully understand processes and techniques that could mean the difference between coming home alive and not coming home at all.
A free, four-hour TIM course is available online through the National Traffic Incident Management Responder Training Program.
Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired, veteran, California police officer, former tow business owner and industry advocate. As consultant and trainer, he authored and teaches tow truck operator safety courses approved by the California Highway Patrol. For 57-years, he has been involved in the towing and recovery industry. In 30-years, he has contributed more than 800-safety focused articles for American Towman Magazine, TowIndustryWeek.com and POLICE Magazine. He is a frequent seminar presenter and beauty pageant judge at tow shows. In 2014, he was inducted to the International Towing and Recovery Industry Hall of Fame, was the 3rd recipient of the industry's "Dave Jones Leadership Award," and is a member of American Towman’s Safety Committee.
Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.
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By Randall C. Resch
There are incidents where towed vehicles catch fire hours after being dropped off in tow yards. The question becomes: Who is responsible for damages to stored vehicles if firefighters didn't cut or remove the wrecked vehicle's battery cables?
When post-fire investigations are completed, blame often shifts from one party to another. While most towers believe disconnecting a battery belongs to the fire department, reality says it doesn't always happen. Circumstances at the scene, call priorities, or inaccessible engine compartments often prevent firefighters from disconnecting the battery.
Fires Abound
It doesn't take much for pinched wires in a damaged vehicle to create an electrical short and ignite a fire. If the vehicle is equipped with lithium batteries, impact damage can trigger thermal runaway. In either case, a single broken wire contacting the vehicle's frame can become an ignition source.
In many fender-bender collisions without injuries, the fire department may never respond. Even when firefighters are on scene, there's no guarantee they've disconnected the battery, especially if the hood is crushed shut.
When towers take possession of vehicles, they're accepting responsibility for the vehicle, its contents, and—more importantly—its condition. While no tow company intentionally causes a fire, there are known precursors every tower should recognize.
Not My Fault
Vehicle fires occur with little warning and for many reasons. Mechanical failures, damaged electrical systems, fuel vapors igniting during impact, battery failures, or heated vehicle components can all contribute. Some fires don't begin until long after the vehicle has been unloaded and parked in the storage yard.
In one incident, a tower stated, "We had just unloaded the vehicle, heard snapping sounds, turned around, and saw it burning." Another admitted, "I never looked to see if the battery was disconnected."
Once towers accept a damaged vehicle, they're also accepting responsibility for allowing it to remain in whatever condition it arrived.
Adjudicate This
Assuming the tower exercised proper care, custody, and control, a court may ask:
"Mr. or Mrs. Tower, did you take steps to disconnect the vehicle's battery before the fire occurred?"
Suppose the response is, "I didn't know the battery wasn't disconnected." That answer only demonstrates a lack of due diligence.
Tow-Related Fire Causes
Vehicle fires happen for a multitude of reasons. The following examples identify common causes:
-- Stored vehicles rarely ignite from leaking fuel alone. However, improperly placed J-hook chains have punctured fuel tanks. When leaking fuel or vapors meet an ignition source, fire or explosion becomes likely.
-- Dually equipped trucks and motorhomes towed on flat tires can generate enough sidewall friction to ignite adjacent tires, wooden truck beds, or the underside of motorhomes.
-- Vehicles parked on burning highway flares may have tires that continue smoldering during transport and eventually ignite after being stored.
-- Non-wrecked vehicles towed with the parking brake engaged can develop wheel-end fires.
Prevention
To reduce the possibility of fires during transport or after arrival at the facility, company policy should clearly dictate procedures for preventing vehicle fires.
-- Designate an isolated parking area for crashed vehicles, away from offices, buildings, hazardous-material storage, and other stored vehicles. Leave damaged vehicles there until they're determined to be cold and fire-safe.
-- Keep wrecked-vehicle storage areas accessible to responding fire apparatus and close to hydrants, hoses, water supplies, and large fire extinguishers.
-- If a vehicle is still hot upon arrival, flood both the vehicle and surrounding area with copious amounts of water until all fire potential has been eliminated.
-- If re-ignition occurs, call 911 immediately. If there are no visible flames and it's safe to do so, use a forklift or skid steer to move the vehicle into an open area.
Sooner or Later
Knowing what to do—and having a fire response plan—makes good sense.
Common sense suggests towers verify whether the vehicle's power source has been disconnected. The number-one way to lessen the possibility of a vehicle fire is recognizing existing hazards and acting accordingly. Blaming the fire department is fruitless.
Remember, if a wrecked vehicle is delivered to a body shop, dealership, or customer's home and later catches fire, the tow company will likely be blamed if the battery wasn't disconnected.
Sufficiently Covered?
Insurance coverage is broad and often complicated, depending on the services your company provides.
Does your policy cover fires that occur after vehicles have been placed into storage?
If one stored vehicle catches fire and damages others, does your on-hook or garagekeepers coverage provide sufficient protection?
In previous fire incidents, companies discovered they had no coverage because their business policy didn't specifically address fire-related losses.
Are you covered?
The Bottom Line
Owners should ask their insurance providers specific questions about post-storage vehicle fires, particularly when other vehicles or structures suffer damage from fire, smoke, or water.
Don't wait until a catastrophic fire reveals gaps in your coverage.
Towers are responsible for ensuring vehicles are loaded, towed, and stored in a fire-safe manner. One of the simplest ways to reduce fire risk is to eliminate electrical power whenever possible.
Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired, veteran, California police officer, former tow business owner and industry advocate. As consultant and trainer, he authored and teaches tow truck operator safety courses approved by the California Highway Patrol. For 57-years, he has been involved in the towing and recovery industry. In 30-years, he has contributed more than 800-safety focused articles for American Towman Magazine, TowIndustryWeek.com and POLICE Magazine. He is a frequent seminar presenter and beauty pageant judge at tow shows. In 2014, he was inducted to the International Towing and Recovery Industry Hall of Fame, was the 3rd recipient of the industry's "Dave Jones Leadership Award," and is a member of American Towman’s Safety Committee. Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.
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By Randall C. Resch
In July 2024, a large, 30,000-pound tracked bulldozer was being transported atop a steel-deck commercial trailer. As the truck and trailer combination allegedly negotiated a right-hand curve on the highway, the dozer broke free and skipped off the trailer's deck. Tragically, it rolled onto a pickup truck pulling a ski boat, killing the pickup's driver and his teenage daughter while injuring two other passengers.
If you've followed industry news, you're aware of this incident and likely read that overwhelming testimony convicted the truck driver. In all investigations and subsequent lawsuits, determining fault occurs when investigative details prove sufficient wrongdoing.
If you think gambling with improper safety will keep you out of prison, think again. To my point, a recent headline described every tower's nightmare: "Dad and daughter crushed to death by bulldozer that rolled off truck, landing on their vehicle after driver failed to properly secure it."
There's no doubt this tragedy raised serious questions about proper securement and the processes necessary to keep a dozer solidly in place. However, this narrative isn't just about that case.
In March 2026, another fatal towing-related incident occurred in Philadelphia when a vehicle allegedly detached from a light-duty wrecker. The freewheeling, uncontrollable car rolled into the path of an oncoming motorcycle. Its rider was killed instantly, and the tow truck fled the scene. The driver was later identified.
This narrative is directed at towers who shortcut proper securement and initiate towing or loading practices that aren't approved or considered safe by industry standards. If you're that tower sidestepping proper vehicle securement, why are you risking it all?
Just Showing Off?
In less than a week's time, several towers posted photos of themselves loading carriers "two up," showing one vehicle atop the deck and a second vehicle "floating" behind in the carrier's wheel lift. I direct this narrative to towers infected with the wrong mentality: "If it fits, it ships."
I'll never understand why towers post photos or videos of themselves doing something questionable, unacceptable, or illegal. I often blame the industry for not having a universal set of standards that mandates acceptable towing practices. But that's a topic for another time.
The reality is that some towers lack an understanding of the safety practices the industry demands. Sharing social media posts of illegal or unsafe practices can potentially lead to devastating consequences should something go wrong.
Perhaps those posting these images are simply looking for instant gratification and fail to realize that "an accident is the product of the unknown." Unfortunately, when viewing photos and videos of Hollywood moves and illegal practices, another reality becomes obvious: in most cases, accidents are preventable.
Don't Be Invincible
Using the "two-up carrier load" as an example, while it may look kinda' cool, where is it suggested—or instructed—that floating a vehicle behind a carrier in the wheel lift is approved by industry training? Where is it written in any tow equipment manufacturer's operator's manual?
When photos like those posted on industry forums are worth a thousand words, floating vehicles off the pavement goes against the grain of what's safe and proper. These are the same types of photos that often become evidence in fatality investigations and courtroom proceedings. Why would someone purposely post potential future evidence against themselves?
In simple terms, floating vehicles in wheel-lift devices creates dangerous and recognizable risks. Should an unfortunate incident occur, a subsequent investigation will likely consider the following:
-- First and foremost, a dangerous action-reaction condition is created when extended weight far behind the carrier's rear axle reduces braking capability.
-- That same action-reaction effect decreases steering control.
-- The lifted vehicle's rear-end weight is "killing the deck," with the potential to crack the carrier's understructure and deck welds.
-- When wheel lifts are extended beyond the tailboard to accommodate a vehicle's length, they may violate vehicle code laws regarding rear overhang, overall length, and factory lighting requirements.
-- If raised sufficiently above ground level, the suspended vehicle creates an extremely dangerous condition for following traffic because bumper protection is absent in a rear-end collision.
Why Take Chances?
Towers, take heed. The industry's history describes towing, recovery, and repossession as among the most dangerous professions based on documented fatalities. Since Ernest Holmes introduced the first wrecker more than 110 years ago, hundreds of towers have been killed in on-the-job incidents.
To date, I've archived 1,938 operator fatalities in the U.S. and internationally. The numbers prove towers are at risk. But what about the unfortunate incidents where a tower's actions take the lives of innocent people?
It's a fact that when safe practices aren't followed—or are intentionally ignored—innocent people are injured and killed. I'm hoping these words of reality reach towers determined to make their own rules while showing off on industry forums. For towers and industry influencers who think training is a joke and unnecessary, may your continued risk-taking never lead to a preventable tragedy.
For the unfortunate tower involved in the Utah fatality, he reportedly was sentenced to four to 23 years in prison on charges related to the crash. My advice is simple: Get back to following the industry's best practices and leave the idiocy behind.
Hopefully, no other innocent victims will lose their lives because of a tower's wrongful actions. If you support the "If it fits, it ships" mentality, you're putting everyone else at risk.
Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer, former towing company owner, and longtime industry advocate. As a consultant and trainer, he authored and teaches tow truck operator safety courses approved by the California Highway Patrol. During his 57 years in the towing and recovery industry, he has contributed more than 800 safety-focused articles to American Towman Magazine, TowIndustryWeek.com, and POLICE Magazine. He is a frequent seminar presenter and beauty pageant judge at tow shows. In 2014, he was inducted into the International Towing and Recovery Industry Hall of Fame, became the third recipient of the industry's Dave Jones Leadership Award, and serves as a member of American Towman's Safety Committee.
Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.
By George L. Nitti
