Welcome to the fourth issue of Crash Towing Industry News.
Our regular newsletters will provide important updates about the crash towing industry reforms including legislative changes that may affect how you operate.
New regulations will soon cap the price for the standard towing and storage of crashed light vehicles in Perth and Peel and require that charges for all other crash towing and storage across Western Australia are reasonable.
This includes:
- Maximum charges for towing and storage of crashed light vehicles in the Perth and Peel regions.
- Reasonable charges for towing and storage of crashed light vehicles outside the Perth and Peel regions.
- Reasonable charges for towing and storage of crashed heavy vehicles across the State.
- Reasonable charges for recovery loading across Western Australia.
Maximum Charges – Towing and storage of crashed light vehicles in Perth and Peel
The maximum charge when towing a light vehicle from the scene of a crash in the Perth and Peel regions will be set at $485, with a distance fee of $4.40 charged after 50 kilometres. A one-off after-hours surcharge of $138 will apply outside business hours.
Maximum daily storage charges are also being introduced. Maximum charges for the storage of a car (light vehicle) in a secure yard is $25 a day, and $12.50 a day for a motorcycle. A one-off administration fee of $88 can be added to the daily storage charges when a vehicle is released to cover all requests and expenses incurred while a vehicle is stored in the yard.
Charging more than the set maximum charges for the towing or storage of crashed light vehicles in the Perth and Peel regions will be an offence, with penalties of up to $12,000 for individuals and $60,000 for bodies corporate.
Price regulation – Reasonable charges
New regulations will require towing workers and towing service providers to apply reasonable charges for towing crashed heavy vehicles anywhere in WA and crashed light vehicles outside of Perth and Peel.
Things to consider when setting a reasonable charge can the day of the week, time of day, distance travelled, administration costs and amounts charged previously or by other towing service providers in the same geographic region for comparable services.
Reasonable charges also apply to the recovery of crashed vehicles in difficult to access areas across Western Australia, such as in rivers, culverts or wedged inside buildings. The condition and location of the vehicle and equipment and staff required to carry out the recovery should be considered when determining a reasonable charge.
It will be an offence to make unreasonable charges for light vehicle crash towing outside the Perth or Peel regions, heavy vehicle crash towing and recovery across Western Australia and penalties will include fines of up to $12,000 for individuals and $60,000 for bodies corporate.
Join us at an information session
As the Regulations are being developed DoT will hold a series of industry information sharing and consultation forums. To express your interest in attending one of these sessions please complete this form below.
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.
Kind regards
Towing Governance & Regulation
Department of Transport
GPO Box R1290, Perth WA
6844
