You have the right to decide who tows your car and where it is towed – you DO NOT have to choose the first tow truck that arrives at the scene after an accident or use your insurance providers / police towing contractor. You can choose who tows your vehicle!
Our friendly team will work with you to provide you with the best advice based on your situation.
We are here to help you!
No out of pocket expenses for full comprehensive insured vehicles. We bill your insurance company direct.
All vehicles towed to our holding yard are stored inside a fully insured, locked, and secure workshop, providing superior protection compared to other holding yards that may leave vehicles exposed outside.
For non-insured vehicles one of our friendley team can help you arrange a location to have your vehicle towed too. eg. panel shop or home address with an arranged towing fee to be paid on delivery of the vehicle.
We can bill the insured vehicles insurance company when you are not at fault for the accident with no upfront costs.
Vehicle disposal after an accident or 3rd party claim can be arranged.
The WA Government is reforming the tow truck industry in WA.
About 90% of more than 6000 respondents engaged during community consultation supported the reform of the tow truck industry to protect people involved in traffic crashes and combat bad behaviour and price gouging by some members of the industry.
The Government has tasked the Department of Transport (DoT) with developing a regulatory strategy for the towing industry based on the outcomes of the community consultation.
In the meantime, DoT is progressing amendments to the Road Traffic (Vehicles) Regulations 2014 to update tow truck technical vehicle standards and improve price transparency.
A public information campaign will be implemented by DoT to advise drivers of their rights after a collision or breakdown on the roads and keep the tow truck industry abreast of the regulatory changes and amended technical standards as they occur.
While DoT develops options for Government, drivers can be prepared in the event they are involved in a traffic crash or breakdown on WA roads.
Take the following advice on board so you can make better decisions under pressure.
Contact your insurer to clarify what your insurance policy covers and get clear instructions on what to do after an accident.
Save your insurance company’s number in your phone and keep a copy of your policy in your car, in case of emergencies.
If you have been in a crash, you have the right to decline the first tow truck on the scene and choose who tows your vehicle.
You can decide where your car is towed, including a repairer, your home, to a storage yard or as instructed by your insurer.
Having your car towed to your home is an option to consider as it will give you time to talk to your insurer and make decisions without being under pressure.
Towing and storage fees are not yet regulated in WA, so towing companies can set their own prices.
It’s important you confirm the total cost of towing and storage with the driver before you sign any agreement or allow your vehicle to be towed when you are satisfied with the price.
You should not enter into any agreement to be towed unless you are satisfied with the price.
From mid January 2025 accident towing fee's will be capped allowing you to not have to worry about towing fee's.
Main Roads can deploy a tow truck or an Incident Response Service vehicle to move a crashed or broken-down vehicle that is obstructing traffic or causing a hazard to a safer location.
This service is provided free of charge.
Contact the Main Roads Customer Information Centre on 138 138 to report an incident unless there is a need to phone emergency services.
Once in a safer location, the driver can make their own arrangements to be towed to their home, repairer, or storage location at their own cost.
By law, tow truck drivers must give you a completed standard Authority to Tow form to sign before they tow your car after an accident.
They must also give you a copy of the signed form and keep a copy for their records for 12 months.
The Authority to Tow form must include specific information, such as:
Although not currently required by law, make sure the form includes the total cost of towing and storing your vehicle, and ask for it to be included if it hasn’t been included.
Tow truck drivers are not allowed to intimidate you or use unfair tactics to get you to sign an Authority to Tow form.
Some consumers have been caught out by signing Authority to Tow forms locking them into having their car repaired by a particular repairer or giving lawyers permission to act on their behalf.
If your car is towed to a storage yard tell the tow truck operator your car is not to be repaired without the authorisation of you or your insurer.
At the crash scene
At the scene of the crash, you need to collect as many details as possible from the other parties involved
What details do I need? By law, drivers involved in a crash must stop and supply their name and address (unless they have a disability). If they refuse, call the police.Otherwise:
What do I do next? If your vehicle is not driveable you will need to have the vehicle towed. you have the choice of what tow truck you use but if you are unsure on who to trust contact your insurance company and they will contact their preferred contractor.If the vehicle is deemed unrepairable by your insurer then it’s a write-off.
Do I need to report the crash to police? Not every crash needs to be reported to the police.According to the WA Police, you must report a traffic crash when the incident ( on a road or any place commonly used by the public) fits the following criteria:
When someone has been injured you must also report the crash to the Insurance Commission of WA.If you’ve been in a traffic crash that fits the above criteria recently, you can report it at https://www.crashreport.com.au/ocrf/