Understanding Emergency Protocol

3 Problems You'd Face When Using an Unlicensed Towing Service

7 March 2016

Eevi Annala

Even if your vehicle is new, you could find yourself and your car broken down on the side of the road. Every day someone finds themselves on the side of the road needing to call a towing service. Cars are complex machines and can decide to quit working at any point. When this happens, you have one of two options: you can call a licensed towing company, or you can save a few dollars and call a towing company that may run their business under the radar.

There are plenty of unlicensed towing companies all across the country. While they will advertise the savings you can get by calling them, you need to be leery whether this is really the right call to make. Here are three reasons why you shouldn't call an unlicensed towing service to help you out. 

Longer Wait Times

When you do find yourself on the road waiting on the tow service, you can't plan on what the conditions will be. It may be scorching hot or freezing cold outside, and your vehicle's temperature controls are not working. This can leave you in a bad situation and in some cases a dangerous situation. In this case, it is essential that the towing service hurry up and get there in a timely matter. A licensed towing service will have the necessary gear and equipment to help you. Many of them even advertise that they will be there within 30 minutes. When you choose to call an unlicensed towing service, you can't be sure how long it is going to take them. They may have to round up equipment and this could take some extra time. 

No Training

When you have an unlicensed tow driver trying to get your vehicle out of a ditch or out of a precarious situation, you have no idea how educated and knowledgeable they are about the job. With no license, it could take them much longer to tow your vehicle away then if you had called a licensed towing service who has undergone training for this type of job. Not only do you have to worry about how long it takes them to get the job done, but they could be damaging your vehicle. Towing a vehicle requires experience and knowledge. You need to know what equipment to use, where to place the equipment, and the right way to haul the vehicle in order to avoid further damage. If your vehicle does get damaged during the towing process, your insurance may not cover it if you chose to use an unlicensed company. 

More Expenses

One of the biggest reasons why someone would call an unlicensed towing service over a licensed one is to save some money. Why you cannot fault someone for saving money, using an unlicensed company can prove to be more expensive down the road. There are several mechanic shops who will tow your vehicle for free if you use them. They run an additional service of towing hoping to get more customers into their shop this way. This can save you quite a bit of money. Additionally, by using a licensed towing service, you don't run the risk of having your vehicle damaged by a tow driver who doesn't know what they are doing. 

Instead of opting for unlicensed services, contact local towing services based on their experience, customer reviews, and services. 

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