What does a towed motor vehicle mean?
2 Answers
A towed motor vehicle refers to a vehicle that is being pulled by another vehicle in front due to a malfunction. Vehicle towing can be divided into soft towing, which uses a towing rope as the tool, and hard towing, which uses a sturdy towing frame as the tool. Regardless of the towing method used, before driving, it is necessary to establish communication methods and signals for starting, driving, turning, decelerating, stopping, and encountering special situations during towing. The towed motor vehicle must not carry passengers other than the driver, must not tow a trailer, and the width of the towed motor vehicle must not exceed that of the towing motor vehicle. When using a soft connection towing device, the distance between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle should be greater than 4 meters and less than 10 meters. For a towed vehicle with failed brakes, a hard connection towing device should be used.
I've been in the auto repair industry for many years and frequently see towed vehicles - simply put, when a car can't move on its own due to mechanical issues and needs another vehicle to pull it, whether using tow ropes or a tow dolly. Common reasons include vehicle breakdowns like engine failure, dead batteries, or post-collision immobilization. I've handled countless such cases - once getting a midnight call about a young man whose car wouldn't start due to an aged battery, later towed to my shop by his friend's truck after stalling on the road. These situations can be quite dangerous, as improper towing may damage the suspension or transmission. To avoid becoming the towed vehicle, I recommend regular battery and cooling system checks. If it happens, remember to activate hazard lights, park in a safe location, and use proper tow hooks - this reduces accident risks and can save on repair costs.
