In this week’s Towing Service 101, we’re taking a deep dive into how to stay safe while waiting for a tow truck. Let’s be honest here. Odds are, if you’re calling a towing service, you’re not having the best of days.

Be it an accident or a flat tire that led you here, what do you do after you’ve called a towing service?

Waiting for a towing service tip #1: Put those hazard lights to work!

This may seem like a simple enough task but you would be amazed at how many motorists forget to use their hazards. Others wait until they have come to a full stop to turn their hazards on. In reality, you should turn your hazard lights on the moment that you realize that something isn’t right with your vehicle. This signifies to the vehicles around you that they should slow down and give you some room. This step takes 2 seconds and can make all the difference between getting to safety or being rear-ended by an oncoming vehicle.

Waiting for a towing service tip #2: Find a safe place to work!

Once you have your hazard lights on, it’s time to get your car to a safe place. If you can safely move out of the driving lanes and onto the shoulder of the road, please do so. If you’re unsure that it is safe to move your vehicle, don’t hesitate to stay where you are. Turn your vehicle off and make sure that your hazard lights are still on.

It’s important to communicate with the towing service’s dispatch team to let them know if your vehicle is in a driving lane. They will relay this information to their team and in some instances bring a traffic control unit.

Waiting for a towing service tip #3: Leave it to the professionals.

Towing service operators have bright lights, high-visibility vests, flares, and more to signal their presence on the road. Even with all these precautionary items, working as a tow truck operator is one of the deadliest jobs in the United States.

With that in mind, don’t attempt to lift your hood and try to do some work on your car right on the side of the road. You are putting yourself at risk of being hit by an oncoming motorist.

Calling a towing service doesn’t need to be a stressful experience. Follow these three steps and be safe while you wait for a tow truck. What’s another way you can prepare yourself for calling a towing company? Have a reliable towing company’s number saved on your phone!

Crockett’s Interstate Towing provides 24/7 towing services in Eugene, Oregon. Our 24/7 dispatch team is always ready to take your call at (541) 554-6731. With the second largest towing service fleet in Oregon, we always have a tow truck near you!

Wrecker Service Team Works for 3 Days on Lumber Truck

The wrecker service team at Crockett’s Interstate was called in to respond to a massive accident on Oregon Route 58. A curtain side truck (curtainliner) carrying a 60,000 lb of 2×6 lumber had driven off the road. The aftermath was absolutely horrific with the tractor trailer flipped over onto its side, trailer walls completely torn off, and lumber scattered everywhere. 

When the wrecker service team arrived, the Department of Transportation, Lane County Sheriff’s Department, and Oregon State Police were already at the scene of the accident. It was clear from the get go that this would be a multi-day recovery operation. The Crockett’s team arrived prepared with one 60 ton rotator, one 50 ton wrecker, 3 flatbeds, and 9 towing operators. 

The first day of the recovery was focused on removing the tractor trailer from the accident site. Using the rotator and the wrecker, the wrecker service team successfully got the tractor trailer upright again. They then were able to tow it out of the ditch and to the client’s yard.

With the tractor trailer out of the way, the team was now able to focus on the lumber scattered around the accident site. With most of the 2×6 pieces in a muddy ditch, the team could not simply gather them with their rotator. Instead, they had to manually lift each piece of lumber and place it into stacks in a location where the rotator could access them. The rotator would then place the stacks of wood onto one of the three awaiting flatbeds. 

Every time the flatbeds were full, they would deliver the wood to the client. This process of stacking, lifting, and delivering went on for a full two days! With all the wood and debris cleared, the job was finally completed! Fantastic work out there team! Hopefully you’re not too sore from all that heavy lifting!

Details of Wrecker Service Team Works for 3 Days on Lumber Truck

A wrecker service team was requested at an accident site on Route 58 in Lane County, Oregon. Crockett’s dispatched their wrecker service team along with one 60 ton rotator, one 50 ton wrecker, and three flatbed trucks. The wrecker service team arrived at the scene of the accident and assessed the situation.

A loaded curtain side truck was laying on it’s side after the driver drove off the road. The cause of the accident was still unclear. 60,000lb of 2×6 pieces of lumber were now lying on the side of the highway. Every bundle had broken loose.

The wrecker service team first uprighted the tractor trailer using their rotator and heavy wrecker. The wrecker service team then slowly pulled the tractor trailer out of the ditch and back onto the road. The wrecker service team then separated the tractor and trailer and towed them separately to the client’s preferred location.

The wrecker service team then had to manually pick up every piece of lumber to stack them up. Once they created stacks, a wrecker service team member would pick it up using their rotator. The rotator would lift the stacks and place it on an awaiting flatbed. The wrecker service team continued to clear the accident site of lumber and debris for a further two days.

Towing Eugene Team Called In To Recover Truck From McKenzie River

A towing Eugene team was called to the scene of a horrific accident off the McKenzie Highway. Several dump trucks were dumping rocks leftover from the forest fire efforts. An empty dump truck was heading back onto McKenzie Highway at the same time that a car was allowed to drive through to the highway. Unfortunately, the road was not wide enough for both vehicles and the dump truck and the car collided. The force of the collision sent the dump truck down an embankment, and into an uncontrolled 60 foot drop directly to McKenzie River.

Crockett’s arrived on scene with a rotator, a 50 ton wrecker and a Landoll trailer. The truck was sitting in around 4 feet of (cold) water. Not keen on an ice bath, the towing team donned wetsuits prior to making their way into the river. They had to hook up to the frame of the dump truck as the front axle was completely ripped off during the fall.

In order to safely recover the truck, they removed it from the river in three parts: the motor, the hood, and the truck itself. Once on dry ground, the towing team placed all the spare parts along with the transmission and motor onto the dump truck’s bed allowing them to tow all parts of the truck together with their Landoll trailer.

Safety is always the number one priority. Cutting corners in heavy recovery jobs could lead to disaster. Each step must be meticulously planned out and carefully executed. The heavy towing team on site made this job their sole focus for the day. It took 11 arduous hours in and out of the water but they completed the job

Fantastic work out there team! Time to dry up and make yourselves a warm cup of coffee!

Details of Towing Eugene Team Called In To Recover Truck From Mackenzie River

Dispatch received a phone call requesting a towing Eugene team at the site of an accident. A dump truck needed to be recovered from the McKenzie River just outside of Eugene. The towing Eugene team was dispatched to the scene of the accident. The towing Eugene team arrived at the accident site, off the McKenzie Highway.

The dump truck had fallen 60 feet and was completely totalled. The towing Eugene team put on their drysuits to protect themselves from the cold river water. The towing Eugene team hooked up to the frame of the dump truck. The towing Eugene team could not hook up to the front axle of the truck as it had been completely ripped off the truck during the fall.

The towing Eugene team winched the dump truck up the embankment. The towing Eugene team put all the spare parts, the transmission, and the engine into the bed of the dump truck. The towing Eugene team got the dump truck on a Landoll trailer. The towing Eugene team secured the dump truck onto the trailer. Satisfied that it was ready to be transferred, the towing Eugene team brought the totalled truck to their yard for safekeeping while the owner sorted out it’s future.