Good afternoon, dear reader.
In the previous article in the series “Rules for towing a car,” types of towing and their main features were discussed. Let me remind you that we were talking about towing with a flexible hitch, with a rigid hitch, and by partial loading.
This article will discuss the rules for towing vehicles , which are common to all types of towing, as well as possible penalties for violating these rules:
- Towing and towed vehicles.
- Lights when towing.
- Maximum speed when towing.
- Towing on a motorway.
- Experience of drivers in towing.
- Conditions under which towing is prohibited.
- Fine for improper towing.
- Accident while towing.
Towing and towed vehicles
To begin with, let’s look at the differences between the concepts of “towing vehicle” and “towed vehicle,” which quite often cause difficulties for drivers who are picking up the rules of the road for the first time.
A towing vehicle is a vehicle that performs towing. It sits at the front and pulls the other vehicle using a flexible or rigid hitch. In the picture above, the towing vehicle is the blue car.
The towed vehicle is the vehicle that is behind, i.e. a car being towed. In the picture, the vehicle being towed is a white car.
Rules for towing a car with a flexible hitch
No motorist is completely insured against unpleasant situations on the road.
In total, dealers managed to sell 62.2 thousand vehicles with similar engines.
At any moment, the car can simply break down, or, even worse, get into an accident. One way or another, the faulty car will have to be evacuated to a repair site or parking lot. But not every driver remembers how to properly tow a car using a flexible hitch or using other types of towing: a rigid hitch, as well as the partial/full loading method.
Sooner or later, every motorist is faced with such a need. Therefore, in this article we will analyze in detail the rules for towing a car on a flexible hitch (SDA), and also identify all the “pitfalls” that can lie in wait for this type of car evacuation. Why a flexible hitch? It's simple: the most popular category of driver's license is category “B1”.
At the same time, a flexible hitch for passenger cars is the most common and frequently used method of evacuation. Therefore, the vast majority of drivers use it when towing. Almost all cars have a tow rope (strap or halyard).
Along with a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher, it is included in a mandatory kit for a motorist. To fully understand all the nuances, let’s look at what Chapter 20 of the traffic rules of the Russian Federation looks like, completely dedicated to towing (of any type for all types of vehicles): These are the points that need to be taken into account before starting towing. And only if you fully comply with all of the above, proceed to it.
Lights when towing
Traffic laws require that the towed (rear) vehicle be clearly visible on the road:
- Hazard warning lights (hazard warning lights) or emergency stop sign. A warning triangle may only be used if the hazard warning lights are faulty. In this case, the sign itself is attached to the rear of the towed vehicle.
- Side lights . When driving at night or in tunnels.
Also, don't forget that in 2021, all moving vehicles must have daytime running lights, low beam headlights, or fog lights on.
That is, both the towing and the towed vehicles must have one of the listed types of lighting devices turned on.
Who should turn on the hazard lights when towing?
Anything can happen on the road. And just in case, every driver has a set of tools in the trunk of his car, but not everyone has a tow rope. This is the very first necessary thing when towing, because a tow truck is not a cheap pleasure. Not everyone knows the nuances of towing a car to a car service center, but the rules are mandatory for everyone. You need to remember them.
Not every car driver has the right to tow. This becomes possible only if you have at least two years of driving experience.
The hazard warning lights must be turned on both on the towing vehicle and on the vehicle requiring delivery to a repair shop. The towing vehicle must turn on daytime running lights or low beams, and the towed vehicle must turn on the hazard warning lights, and at night, side lights. If the electrical wiring is faulty, a warning triangle must be installed in a visible place.
If a rigid hitch is used when towing, the brake system and steering must be fully operational, and if a rigid hitch is used, the steering must be fully operational.
In case of ice in winter, and in summer in rainy weather, a flexible hitch is unsuitable for towing, because the braking distance when sliding increases by half.
Cheap towing ropes with flexible couplings are a problem for all motorists. And here all the manufacturers are the same, whether Russian or Chinese. Cheap cable material stretches under increased tension and breaks when jerked. Therefore, it is better to splurge on an expensive but high-quality cable than, God forbid, then become a hospital patient for many years.
According to traffic rules, the maximum towing speed should not exceed 50 kilometers per hour. This requirement applies only to vehicles with a manual gearbox.
If the car has an automatic transmission, the towing speed is even lower and should not exceed 30 km/h. It is not prohibited to tow on the highway; traffic regulations do not provide any explanations on this matter.
There is a speed limit on public roads, and any vehicles that, due to some specific features, cannot move at a speed of 40 kilometers per hour are not allowed on the highway.
If these rules are violated, inspectors are stopped in exceptional cases, but it is always necessary to remember that about 10% of accidents in which people die occur on the country’s roads every year.
Do you know how to tow a car correctly?
Drivers' towing experience
In 2021, the driver of a towing vehicle can only be a person who has held a driver's license for 2 years or more . That is, a novice driver cannot control a towing car. You can find out more about this change from April 4, 2021 in a separate article.
No such requirements apply to drivers of towed vehicles.
Towing a car: a few simple tips
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But how? In driving school, this topic is touched upon only in passing. Therefore, knowledge about transporting a car will be useful to everyone. We decided to share them.
Maxim Gomyanin Expert First of all, you need to decide how exactly you will transport your car to the place of proposed repair.
There are several options: on a flexible hitch, using partial or full loading.
Conditions under which towing vehicles is prohibited
1. A “trailer prohibited” sign prohibits the towing of motor vehicles:
2. Towing by motorcycles without a side trailer, mopeds and bicycles, as well as towing of such vehicles is prohibited. Those. motorcycles, bicycles and mopeds cannot act as either a towing or a towed vehicle.
3. It is prohibited to tow several vehicles at the same time.
Note. However, the rules do not prohibit the simultaneous towing of several trailers.
Rules for towing vehicles
> > Every car owner should know the main rules for towing vehicles, since it is impossible to foresee all situations and a car breakdown can happen at any time.
Understanding the nuances of the operation will allow you to avoid gross mistakes that can provoke accidents on the road.
The procedure for towing a car must be carried out in accordance with the traffic rules, or more precisely with the paragraphs of section No. 20.
The list of general instructions includes:
- The speed limit for towing is 50 km/h, regardless of where the movement occurs - in urban, rural or uninhabited areas.
- In the dark and when visibility is poor, the side lights on the towed vehicle must be on. The rule also applies to cases when movement is carried out through a tunnel.
- The towed vehicle should be marked with an alarm system with lights or an emergency stop indicator.
IMPORTANT! From April 2021, only a car owner who has had a driver’s license for more than 2 years can be a tug driver. There are 3 types of towing:
- With partial loading.
- On a rigid coupling. To carry out the operation, a special design is used in the form of a pipe or other device, which allows the faulty vehicle to move along the trajectory of the car towing it.
- On flexible traction. In this case, a cable made of metal or other elastic material, for example, nylon, is used as a clutch.
Towing a car - secrets and subtleties
Sooner or later, every driver faces this.
Sometimes he is towed by a rope, sometimes he is towed by someone. At first glance, it seems that there is nothing complicated here - you drive and steer in exactly the same way.
But only those who haven’t tried it themselves think so. And those who have tried can tell many interesting stories related to towing. And these are not always stories with a happy ending.
Here is a small selection of cases: In fact, towing another car, or being towed yourself, is much more dangerous than driving on your own. In this article I will try to give tips that will help you avoid trouble. We will consider only the most popular case - towing one passenger car with another on a flexible hitch.
First of all, let's remember the rules of the road.
For the sake of brevity, I removed all the unnecessary stuff (concerning trucks, motorcycles, rigid couplings, etc.): 7.1. The hazard warning lights must be turned on: . when towing (on a towed motor vehicle); 7.3.
If there is no or faulty hazard warning light on a towed motor vehicle, a warning triangle must be attached to its rear end. By the way, I was once towed with a dead battery. I had to stick an emergency sign on the rear window with masking tape.
10.4. Vehicles towing motor vehicles are permitted to travel at a speed of no more than 50 km/h.
19.1. In the dark
