requirements say “a commercial tow truck must be equipped with: (a) not less than two red flares, two red lanterns, or two warning lights or reflectors;” and “the operator of a commercial tow truck … when the rendering of assistance necessitates the obstruction of a portion of the roadway, place a highway warning sign.” • Federal requirements for “Emergency signals; stopped commercial motor vehicles,” in part says; “Placement of warning devices … whenever a commercial motor vehicle is stopped upon the traveled portion or the shoulder of a highway for any cause other than necessary traffic stops, the driver shall, as soon as possible, but in any event within 10 minutes, place the warning devices required by [Section] 393.95.” • Section 393.95 requires that a commercial motor vehicle be equipped with at least: three bidirectional emergency reflective triangles, six flares capable of burning for 30 minutes, or three liquid burning flares that contain enough fuel to burn continuously for at least 60 minutes.
Dangers As it relates to the towing and recovery industry, here are two distinct examples of why cones and flares should be added to day or night roadside incidents: 1. A wheel-lift wrecker stops in front of a disabled or wrecked vehicle to load. When backed up to attach the vehicle to the wheel-lift, most if not all of the lower tail, running and lower work lights are blocked by the towed vehicle. If the towed vehicle is an SUV of larger size, approaching traffic cannot see the lower lights. Upper structure and rotor/strobe emergency lights may be visible. 2. A flatbed carrier stops in front of a disabled vehicle to load. Once backed to the loading position, the entire carrier’s running, tail and emergency lights may be visible until the
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carrier’s deck is lowered to the pavement. Once dropped to the pavement, all lower tail, running and work lights disappear. As the vehicle is winched onto the carrier’s deck, and when the vehicle is a larger SUV or pickup, most if not all of the upper lights may not be seen by approaching traffic. Both scenarios are problematic due to limited visible lighting caused by the towed or transported vehicle.
Too Much Time If you’ve taken Traffic Incident Management training, you know that the longer towers are exposed to hazardous traffic, the more at risk they are. While that does have validity at face value, making a work environment as safe as possible should be Priority 1 while also working quickly to lessen exposure. A common excuse in this industry is that cones or flares take too long to set up. According to long-time, notable industry trainer Peter Fuerst, “Flares are the quickest and easiest on-scene manner available to identify a tow operator’s work space.” If cones or flares are made readily available to grab as the tower bounces out of the tow truck, they will be hands-on in an instant as they move toward the rear of their truck. I agree there’s risk when placing flares or cones. As it regards tow operators and increased on-scene safety, at some point placing flares or cones means an operator may have to walk close to the white line. But setting a pattern of flares or cones is a task safely accomplished by paying close attention to approaching traffic in the same manner of getting out of a tow truck’s cab or getting back into it: Always face traffic, move quickly, and never put your back to traffic. Here’s an effective on-scene technique using three traffic cones (day) or three flares (night) in an abbreviated TIM manner: • Exit the tow truck from the forward position; when safe, drop the first cone/flare on the white line and at the end of the tow truck’s stowed dock bumper, or at the end of a carrier’s tailboard, to
initially identify your work zone. • Move quickly to the non-traffic side; walk curbside towards approaching traffic. When clear, step to the center at the casualty vehicle’s front bumper; set the second cone/flare approximately 20’ from the first. • Back to curbside; move forward and along the curbside 40’ to set the third cone/flare at the towed vehicle centered to the bumper. Doing so in this manner clearly identifies your work zone. • Return and commence load-andgo operations. • When departing the scene, pick up/extinguish cones/flares in the reverse manner, paying special attention to the first cone/flare set at the tow truck’s rear corner. • When a traffic break is obvious, move quickly to retrieve the first cone/flare. • Move quickly through danger areas • Use TIM’s “Peek a boo” re-entering the tow truck’s cab. Although on-scene exposure is critical when setting cones or flares, this process takes only a few additional minutes, but provides increased visibility at your shoulder scene. Always be aware of approaching traffic, have an escape path, and stay away from the white line whenever possible. Above all, don’t let cones, flares, triangles, emergency overhead lighting, even cops on scene, lull you into a false sense of security. Author’s note: This article is intended as a basis of training only. The author recommends that towers and tow company owners evaluate and recognize the potential value of using flares to provide advanced emergency warning to hazardous approaching motorists as learned in Traffic Incident Management classes.
Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired California police officer and veteran tow business owner, manager, consultant and trainer. He writes for TowIndustryWeek.com and American Towman, is a member of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame. Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.
