How to properly tow a car

The engine starting to smoke, problems with the brakes or with the alternator ? Unfortunately, in some circumstances, there is no choice but to have your vehicle towed. At such a crucial moment, we must not rush.

Driven by panic and haste, it can be tempting to improvise to tow a broken down car with another car, especially to avoid the expense of professional towing. In this article, we'll see what options are available to drivers in such a situation, before focusing in particular on the tow bar, a common and accessible method. We will see how to use this one, providing advice and also highlighting the various restrictions.

Despite what one might think, there are actually a variety of ways to tow a broken down car. You can obviously hire a professional tugboat, but if you are well equipped, you can also get by with another driver and another vehicle.

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Here are the main towing methods, from the most amateur to the most professional:

TOWING A CAR: DIFFERENT PROCEDURES

Ropes and chains.  Towing a car with ropes or chains is an unsavory solution, which should only be considered if the distance to be traveled is short, off the road and without risk. This is the most dangerous solution and the most difficult to manage, because in the event of braking, you risk causing the towed car to crash into you. In addition, under no circumstances should a cord or cable be used at random, but absolutely an approved item.

Towing bar.  This is probably the most common method of towing one car with another, so we'll get to it in more detail. The tow bar has the advantage of being easily transportable to deal with any eventuality (in the trunk for example), and is much safer than rope or chains. It also offers better performance and greater stability.
 
Dolly trolley.  This two-wheeled towing cart is more and more popular. This is a small trailer that helps keep the front tires of the towed car off the ground. This is a very safe method, as it gives the rear car more freedom while removing some of the thrust when stopping. It is still better to slow down before making a turn and to be even more vigilant than usual. These tow trucks are very common in the United States and Canada, and they are starting to appear more and more in France (although the legislation on them remains unclear).

Car transporter trailer.  We are already at the limit of professional use. This type of trailer is often used to transport a small vehicle, in the back of a motorhome for example, but also for car rallying or for collectors of vintage cars.

Professional towing.  If you break down on the freeway or expressway, you will have no choice but to call a professional troubleshooter. The advantage of course is that you just need to call and make an appointment before letting the convenience store take care of everything. The downside, of course, being the price of the service. Fortunately, you can normally count on a quote over the phone for pick-up before confirming with the garage, which helps avoid unpleasant surprises.