A loud bang, sudden confusion, and your daily routine is flipped upside down. That is how most car accidents feel. And believe me, it doesn’t matter if you have been behind the wheel for five months or thirty years—the moment of impact is always disorienting. In this chaos, the hardest but most essential thing to do is keep a cool head. Why? Because rational action will protect both you and those around you. Plus, it will ensure your damaged vehicle gets safely to the workshop. Securing the scene and knowing how to properly call a tow truck are the two cornerstones of a quick and successful resolution.
Let’s be honest—who thinks about towing on a daily basis? Most people only start thinking about it when they are standing on the side of the road with a smoking hood. However, knowing exactly what to say to the dispatcher, how to deal with insurance companies, and how to prepare your car for this journey is invaluable. This guide will walk you through the entire process—step by step. From those first, chaotic seconds after the impact to the sigh of relief when your car is safely secured on the towing platform.
Securing the Scene: Safety First
The car has stopped. What next? No matter how much you want to panic or call a friend in anger, the first task is quite different: you must secure the scene. Switch on your hazard lights immediately! This will be the first and most visible signal to other drivers that there is an emergency on the road and they need to slow down.
Don’t rush to open the doors and jump out! First—put on your reflective vest. This is not just a formal rule; it can truly save your life. Especially at night, in poor visibility, or on highways where cars rush by at high speeds. The vest will make you visible from a distance. Once it is on, exit carefully. It is best to do so through the door furthest away from the active traffic flow.
Next, take a walk with your warning triangle in hand. In a city or village, place it at least 15 meters from the car. But if the misfortune happened on a highway? 15 meters will be far too short—carry it at least 100 meters back. Other drivers need time to notice the obstacle and brake in time. Another nuance: if the accident occurred behind a sharp bend or a hill, the triangle must definitely be placed before this blind spot.
What about the passengers? If they are uninjured and able to move, they must leave the vehicle. Everyone should go to safety—behind a guardrail or at least deeper into the roadside ditch. Sitting in a damaged car located right on the roadway is like playing Russian roulette. You never know if a distracted driver might crash into it again.
Assessing the Situation and Health
Once the scene is physically safe, it is time to quickly but carefully assess what matters most—the people. Is everyone okay? If there is even the slightest suspicion of injury, call 112 immediately. Call for both medical services and the police. Be precise and don’t make the operator guess: provide the location, the number of injured persons, and their apparent condition.
If everything ended with just a scare and dented metal, if two cars are involved and there are no disputes about fault, you can proceed with a written accident report. But! Before writing anything and before moving cars off the road (to finally clear traffic), there is one golden rule: document the scene. Pull out your smartphone and take pictures of everything. Film the positions of the cars, the damage, skid marks, surroundings, and road signs. These shots will later be your best lawyer when dealing with insurance companies.
When is a Tow Truck Really Necessary?
Paperwork sorted? Great. Now take a look at the culprit—the car itself. Of course, we don’t call a tow truck after every small dent. However, there are clear signals that scream: “Driving further is prohibited and dangerous!”
The first and most obvious—look under the car. Is there a suspicious puddle forming? Oil, coolant, or, heaven forbid, fuel. If something is leaking, know this—starting the engine could result in irreversible failure or even a fire. Next, check the undercarriage. Locked wheels? Crooked tires? Obviously deformed suspension? In such a state, the car should not be moved at all. Finally, if the airbags have deployed, your journey in this car is over until a workshop has fully revived it.
Don’t forget about the lights. If only glass shards remain in the front or rear, driving in the dark or in bad weather is not only dangerous but illegal. In short, if you have even the slightest doubt about whether the car is okay—don’t risk it. Call a tow truck. It will always be cheaper and safer than playing with your life and the lives of others.
The most common mistake drivers make after minor collisions is trying to continue driving a vehicle that has hidden suspension or cooling system damage. Even a very short drive with a ruptured radiator can end in engine overheating and thousands of euros in repairs. Calling a professional tow truck is not a luxury; it is a forward-thinking decision that prevents further damage to your car.
How to Prepare for the Call to the Towing Dispatcher
Decision made—call the tow truck. But before you hit the “Call” button, prepare slightly. The dispatcher on the other end will need specific facts so they don’t send a small city tow truck when you are actually sitting in a ditch with a heavy SUV.
Most importantly: where are you? In the city, it is simple—state the street, the nearest intersection, or the house number. But on a highway? The story becomes more interesting. It is great if you know the road number and kilometer marker. If not, open Waze or Google Maps and read the GPS coordinates. The dispatcher will also be very grateful for any landmark—a nearby gas station, bus stop, river bridge, or even a recognizable bend in the woods.
Next, about the car itself. What kind of beast is it? Make, model, body type (sedan, station wagon, large SUV). Weight and dimensions are critically important so that equipment with the correct lifting capacity arrives. By the way, if you are driving an electric vehicle, be sure to mention it! Due to their batteries, they are much heavier, and they should not be towed by their wheels at all. They strictly require a full flatbed and a completely different approach.
And now—be honest and detailed in describing the car’s position. Is it sitting nicely on the asphalt, submerged in a deep ditch, or maybe upside down? Does the steering wheel turn, or are the wheels locked? Can you shift into “neutral”? If you are in a ditch, the tow truck will need to bring a more serious winch and possibly special extraction tools. The clearer your information, the faster help will arrive.
Communicating with the Insurer: Who Covers the Costs?
Don’t rush to call the first private tow truck you find online. Call your insurance provider first! If you have comprehensive insurance (KASKO), it likely includes free roadside assistance. This means they will cover the transport to the nearest workshop or your home.
By the way, higher-tier mandatory liability policies (OCTA) sometimes include this bonus as well. If you are entitled to this service, the insurer will organize and pay for everything. Sometimes, however, the agent might ask you to find the tow truck yourself. In that case—be careful! Definitely ask what the cost limit is and keep all receipts as if your life depended on it, so you can recover your money later.
Don’t forget one unpleasant nuance: the insurer might simply refuse to pay if you called a tow truck without notifying anyone, or if it suddenly turns out that the bill is astronomically high and does not reflect market prices. Therefore, a direct and quick call to your insurance agent can save you from a major dent in your budget.
Waiting for the Tow Truck: Final Preparations
Waiting on the roadside always feels endless. Minutes drag on like hours. But don’t sit idle—use this time wisely. Collect everything important from the car. Technical passport, insurance, personal identification documents. Take your personal belongings: wallet, phone, keys, maybe a laptop from the trunk. The car will be left alone at the workshop; it is better to take valuable items with you.
Here is another small trick: right before the tow truck begins its work, photograph the car again. From every possible angle. Why? This will be your insurance against dishonest behavior. It is rare, but it happens that during loading, the tow truck platform accidentally scratches the bumper or causes other damage. If you have photos of the car’s condition just before lifting, no one will be able to claim that “that damage was already there.”
When the rescuer with flashing amber lights finally arrives, trust the professional. Follow their instructions. The driver will assess the situation and understand how to most safely winch the car onto the platform. After that, all that remains is to agree on where to go—to your chosen workshop, the insurer’s parking lot, or your home driveway. If you pay for the service on the spot in cash or by card, be sure to ask for a receipt or an acceptance-handover report!
So, in summary—it all lies in calmness and order. If you mark the accident site correctly, clearly explain everything to the dispatcher, and coordinate actions with your insurer, this unpleasant day will end much faster and more peacefully. All that is left to do is breathe a sigh of relief and let the professionals do their job.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do you usually have to wait for a tow truck after calling?
Everything depends on where you are and what is happening outside. In large cities and their hustle, a tow truck often arrives within 30 to 60 minutes. But if you are sitting in a blizzard somewhere far in the countryside or on a lonely highway away from civilization, arm yourself with patience—you might have to wait for several hours. In any case, a normal dispatcher will give you a fairly accurate arrival estimate during the call.
Can a car owner leave the vehicle at the scene and go home without waiting for the tow truck?
You definitely should not do that. No matter how much you want to get to the warmth, your presence matters. How else will the tow truck driver receive the keys, and who will sign the necessary papers? Furthermore, they need to know the nuances—perhaps the steering is stuck, or there are hidden defects. And let’s be honest—an abandoned, crashed car on the roadside quickly becomes a magnet for vandals or simply disrupts traffic, for which the police can issue a fine.
What should I do if a traffic accident occurred outside the country?
An accident abroad always causes additional stress. What to do? Your first call should be to your insurer’s international assistance number (which will be found on your insurance policy). Major companies have partner organizations everywhere, and they will help organize a local tow truck. If the insurer cannot assist, you will have to search for local roadside assistance services yourself, for example, by searching online or asking for help from local police. Just keep in mind—you will likely have to pay out of pocket initially, and you will have to submit the receipts to the guilty party’s insurer for compensation later.
What type of tow truck is needed for a severely damaged vehicle or an electric car?
If the wheels cannot rotate, the suspension is destroyed, or you are driving an electric car (where dragging the wheels can be fatal to the electrical system), you will definitely need a tow truck with a full flatbed. It will elegantly lift the car and fully secure it on its “back.” But if the car has rolled into a deep ditch or is on its roof, a standard platform will not be enough. There, you must call a tow truck with a hydraulic manipulator or crane, which will quite simply and safely lift the vehicle out without causing further damage.