It’s impossible not to be stressed when you’ve broken down on a main road in Perth, or worse yet, you’ve been involved in a car accident. Once details have been exchanged with those involved, and dependent on the severity of the incident, you may ask yourself the question: should I drive, or should I tow?
Is It Safe to Drive After a Car Accident?
If for any reason, you are concerned or unsure about whether it is safe to drive, then seek assistance. Safety is the most important aspect to consider and is completely dependent on the nature of why you are on the side of the road in the first place. Even if the other vehicles have since departed the scene of the car accident, be sure you consider your own safety and the safety of others on the road before driving.
The second consideration is whether you will be doing more damage to your vehicle by driving it. If the problem is associated with a non-essential component of the vehicle, such as a damaged side panel or window then it may be able to be driven somewhere safer, for further assessment or smash repair. In other instances, when a fender or panel is loose but not inhibiting the movement of the car, it may be something that could worsen or dislodge through further movement, leaving you worse off than before.
Insurance Cover for Car Accident Towing in Perth
Often we aren’t aware of what our insurance policy covers, but should be. Contact your insurance provider to see what assistance they can provide, as many will pay the reasonable cost of towing your vehicle from the scene of an incident to the nearest approved repairer.
Be prepared and check your insurance policy for instructions about what you need to do if you are involved in an accident. It is recommended to keep the contact number of your insurer in your vehicle and in your phone in the case of an accident, with most insurers having a 24/7 accident service.
Is It Safe to Drive After a Breakdown?
If your car has broken down, it is likely that there is a good reason. Before trying the ignition, stop to consider whether it will be safe to drive or if you should seek assistance. There are plenty of warning signs that suggest you should avoid driving your car further as doing so may be unsafe and could even end up causing greater damage to the vehicle.
Calling your insurance-supplied Roadside Assistance is a great start, or check to see if your vehicle shows any of the following signs before calling a tow truck:
You can see or smell burning, or the smell of fuel.
Loud engine noise such as knocking, whirring, or screeching.
Major increase or drop on the temperature gauge.
The oil level or pressure light is illuminated.
Your brakes make a very loud irregular noise while driving or when being used.
Running poorly, misfiring, stalling, or loss of power when accelerating.
Loss of coolant, oil, power steering or brake fluids.
Towing Regulation in Perth
In WA, companies can set their own towing and storage fees, as prices are not regulated. There are some important aspects to be aware of in advance.
New WA towing regulations were put in place and came into effect late last year, stating that before your vehicle is towed, you’d need to willingly sign a standard towing authority form. Before doing so, make sure that you are happy with the price and intended destination before signing and allowing your vehicle to be towed away.
Main Roads Towing Service
To report an incident on the Main Roads network, please call their Customer Information Centre on 138 138, unless there is a need to phone emergency services.
Gino’s Panel and Paint are highly trained Auto-Body Technicians providing quality smash repairs to accident-damaged vehicles from Perth to Fremantle. We are approved smash repairers for most insurance companies so once we have your claim number, we can deal directly with your insurance company to have you back on the road faster!
You can call RAC on 13 17 03 and Allianz on 13 10 13 to directly make a claim, and get a quote from our team today.