We repair vehicles here and—on occasion—they need to be towed to us for repairs.
Before I started working here, I had never really thought about what a tow truck driver does unless I needed one. I now have a lot more appreciation for them than I did in the past.
These are the people that tow you out of the ditch in the worst weather, jump start your vehicle if your battery has failed and clear the road after an accident. I’ve been on the phone with someone that has just hit a curb during a snow storm and they’re waiting for the tow truck to come and bring the vehicle to us. When the driver arrives, they very efficiently handle the situation. To the car owner it may have seemed like a long wait, but in bad weather and with lots of people driving on snowy and icy roads, they’re required to do a lot in a short time frame. Many times they are dropping off a car, grabbing a cup of coffee and they are on their way to the next accident or disabled vehicle.
When you’re standing in the cold and snowy road and looking at your damaged vehicle, time ticks by slowly. During a Michigan snowstorm, these men and women are out in the weather while the rest of us are avoiding exposure to it. Many of them will mention the near misses they’ve had when someone doesn’t notice the truck with the lights on working to secure a vehicle and remove it from the road. Many tow truck drivers are killed and injured while working every year.
Every day we see what these people do, and we are so thankful for their effort and dedication to their job. While driving this winter, pay attention and help keep them safe on the road!