Towing a car consists of towing a broken down vehicle to a garage when on-site repair is impossible. On the motorway, prices are regulated by ministerial decree. Troubleshooting is done using an emergency call terminal. On other roads, it is better to call your insurer to be redirected to an approved repairer.
Who to contact for car towing?
In the event of a breakdown or accident, towing of the car may be necessary. In certain cases, it is possible to carry out on-site repairs: the professional carries out the repairs at the place where the car is immobilized.
This is particularly the case if the vehicle is immobilized in a place where repairs are possible (parking lot, private home, etc.) and the nature of the breakdown is not too complicated and can therefore be repaired on site.
In any other case, you will therefore have to call a breakdown service with towing to repatriate the car to a garage. If you break down on a road, start by stopping in the emergency lane, put on the hazard lights and put on your yellow vest. Place your warning triangle approximately 30 meters in front of the vehicle.
Towing a broken down car on the motorway or expressway
In the event of a breakdown on the motorway, to benefit from car towing, you must use the emergency call terminals. In fact, the regulations stipulate that only an approved company can intervene for towing on the motorway.
In addition, emergency call terminals are geolocated. They therefore make it easy to locate your car so that you can intervene as quickly as possible. The emergency call point puts you in direct contact with the motorway company to call an authorized repairer.
Good to know: emergency call terminals are easily recognizable thanks to their orange color. They are placed on the emergency lane every 2 kilometers of motorway or expressway.
It is not advisable to use your cell phone, as the tow’s arrival will be more complicated and take longer. However, in the absence of an emergency call point, you can call 112.
While waiting for the tow to arrive, wait behind the barrier. It is very dangerous to stay in the broken down car.
Towing a broken down car on the road
If you are not on the motorway or a highway, there is no emergency call point. Towing a car is also less regulated. It is therefore advisable to call your insurer directly. He will direct you to an approved repairer, which will facilitate your compensation.
Most insurers offer guarantees which include financing for towing your car to the garage. However, you should know your contract well, because these guarantees may be subject to restrictions (mileage limit, excess, types of damage, etc.).
Can you tow a car yourself?
Under certain conditions, it is possible to tow a car yourself. To do this, you must have a tow bar, specially designed to tow a broken down vehicle. You must also have a second car in working order.
There are different types of tow bars. You should ensure that the towing weight corresponds to the car you wish to tow. The towing vehicle must also be heavier than the towed car. Finally, both must be equipped with a towing eye.
If all these conditions are met, you can connect the two cars using the tow bar. You must comply with the following legislation:
It is prohibited to tow a car on the highway or expressway;
You must drive at a maximum of 25 km/h;
The journey should be a short distance;
You must turn on the hazard lights;
The two cars must be aligned.
