Welcome to the seventh 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.
Regulations due to commence in early to mid-January will introduce new requirements when seeking the authority to tow a vehicle from a crash scene. The current tow truck driver’s statement will also be replaced with new Authority to Tow forms.
Authority to Tow forms
Once the Regulations commence you must use the new Authority to Tow forms at any time you tow a vehicle from a crash scene. Failure to do so is an offence and may result in a penalty.
Towing service providers must ensure that each towing worker is provided with approved Authority to Tow forms to enable them to comply with their obligations.
Authority to Tow forms will be provided free of charge by the Department of Transport (DoT) to towing service providers who undertake crash towing as the new towing industry reforms are being introduced.
In the long term, towing service providers may need to pay for these forms or arrange printing of the approved form. This is yet to be determined but DoT will ensure industry is aware of any changes in obtaining these forms.
Authority to Tow forms can be ordered by clicking the link below.
Towing worker must make and distribute copies of Authority to Tow form
Regulations will require that towing workers complete the 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 – retain with crashed vehicle
- Green copy – towing service provider copy.
Requirements for completion and signing of Authority to Tow forms
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.
The vehicle owner or driver should understand the cost and conditions before signing an Authority to Tow form.
To promote a safe, fair and efficient crash towing industry the following requirements must be met:
- The towing worker must complete the form, stating the cost of towing and storage, before the person authorising the tow signs it.
- The form must state the destination to which the vehicle is to be towed.
- A towing worker cannot use intimidation, force, threats, offensive behaviour or persistent soliciting to get an authority to tow form signed.
- A towing worker cannot 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 a Main Roads or the RAC).
- A towing worker cannot solicit for an Authority to Tow form to be signed while the vehicle owner or driver is receiving first aid or medical care.
Other authority to tow requirements
The regulations will introduce new requirements when seeking the authority to tow a vehicle from a crash scene.
Contact us
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