Welcome to the 21st issue of Crash Towing Industry News.
Our regular newsletters provide important updates about the crash towing industry reforms, including legislative changes that may affect how you operate.
This newsletter seeks to provide further clarity on the regulatory obligations of both towing service providers and towing workers who undertake crash towing in Western Australia.
Towing Service Provider Obligations
Authority to tow
Towing service providers must ensure that each towing worker is provided with approved Department of Transport Authority to Tow T1 forms to enable them to comply with their regulatory obligations.
The T1 Authority to Tow form is not an invoice. A towing service provider will be required to issue an invoice that sets out the amount of the charges payable and details of the payment methods by which the charges can be paid. Further information on invoicing requirements is outlined in Crash Towing Industry Newsletter 11 – Storage yard requirements.
Towing service providers must keep the green copy of all completed T1 Authority to Tow forms for two years.
Restricted names or logos
Towing service providers must ensure that no restricted name or logo is displayed on —
(a) a tow truck used for the purposes of the business; or
(b) clothing worn by a towing worker while engaging in towing work or obtaining or attempting to obtain an authority to tow, for the purposes of the business.
A restricted name or logo is the name or logo of:
- a public entity* (such as Main Roads);
- an insurance company;
- a roadside assistance provider; or
- a vehicle repair or vehicle hire service.
* A restricted name or logo of a public entity may be displayed on a tow truck or clothing of a towing worker if the public entity has given written consent to the display of the name or logo to the towing service provider.
Towing Worker Obligations
Authority to tow
Towing workers must complete an approved Department of Transport Authority to Tow T1 form in quadruplicate, with each copy showing the signatures of the towing worker and person who authorised the tow. The different pages of the form are to being given or retained as follows:
- White copy – driver/owner copy
- Pink copy – towing worker copy
- Yellow Copy –crashed vehicle copy
- Green copy – towing service provider copy
To promote a safe, fair and efficient crash towing industry all fields on the form marked as ‘mandatory’ must be accurate and completed in full. Failure to do so is an offence and may result in a penalty.
Towing workers must:
- complete the form, stating the cost of towing and storage (including any additional distance, after hours or estimated recovery charges), before the person authorising the tow signs the form;
- state the destination to which the vehicle is to be towed;
- not use intimidation, force, threats, engage in behaviour that could reasonably be expected to intimidate another person or persistent soliciting to get an authority to tow form signed;
- not obtain an authority to tow by fraudulent behaviour, including holding out an association with a public entity, insurance company or roadside assistance provider (for example, pretending to represent Main Roads or the RAC);
- not hinder or obstruct other towing workers who are seeking the authority to tow a vehicle;
- not offer vehicle repair or car hire services while seeking the authority to tow a vehicle;
- not solicit for an Authority to Tow form to be signed while the vehicle owner or driver is receiving first aid or medical care; and
- not alter an Authority to Tow form once it has been completed and signed.
A towing worker must keep the pink copy of each completed T1 Authority to Tow form for two years.
Restrictions on obtaining an authority to tow
A towing worker cannot obtain the authority to tow a vehicle from a crash site unless:
they are the driver of a WA licensed tow truck of an approved class; and
the tow truck is present at the crash site and immediately available to tow the crashed vehicle.
Restricted names or logos
A towing worker cannot display a restricted name or logo on their tow truck or clothing while attending a crash site for the purposes of obtaining or attempting to obtain an authority to tow a vehicle.
A restricted name or logo is the name or logo of:
- a public entity* (such as Main Roads);
- an insurance company;
- a roadside assistance provider; or
- a vehicle repair or vehicle hire service.
* A restricted name or logo of a public entity may be displayed on a tow truck or clothing of a towing worker if the public entity has given written consent to the display of the name or logo to the towing service provider.
Contact us
If you are unable to locate the information you require on our website, please submit your enquiry below or contact us on (08) 9320 4111 between 8 am to 4.30 pm weekdays.
