Tow trucks operators do a dangerous job on the roads of Georgia. They often operate in exposed conditions in by the roadside, making accidents with tow trucks all too common.
In November, a man was reported to be pinned under a vehicle after an accident in Forsyth County, reported WSBT-2.
According to the Forsyth County sheriff’s office, a tow truck was attempting to remove a vehicle and a man became pinned underneath. It’s not clear if the victim was a tow truck operator or another motorist.
The car was removed from the scene and the victim was taken to a local hospital. His condition was not known. Police said the accident occurred at the Lakeland Plaza Shopping Center at 500 Lakeland Plaza in Cumming.
Tragically, tow truck drivers are often injured and killed on the busy highways of Georgia.
Accidents with tow trucks are often deadly
In 2014, a tow truck driver was hit and killed on I-20 in DeKalb County.
The accident occurred on I-20 westbound before the interstate reaches the Glenwood Avenue exit, according to the state Department of Transportation.
Georgia State Patrol said the driver who died was 45-year-old Patrick Brownlee, of Stone Mountain. The tow truck driver was hit while he was loading a vehicle.
The GSP report stated the tow truck driver was attending to a Pontiac Grand Prix in the westbound emergency lane east of the Glenwood Road exit. Police investigators said a Chevrolet Silverado, driven by a 21-year-old from Douglasville veered into the emergency lane and hit Brownlee as he stood outside his truck preparing to load the Pontiac.
Tow truck drivers face particular hazards working on interstates where traffic typically travels at at least 70 mph. The interstates in and around Atlanta are some of the most dangerous in the nation. A recent survey I-285 as one of the most dangerous highways in the United States.
In Georgia, emergency vehicle and tow trucks are protected by the ‘move over law.’ This law requires drivers to move over a lane when possible if an emergency vehicle with flashing lights is parked on the shoulder of the highway.
If the traffic is too heavy to move over safely, the Georgia law requires drivers to slow their speed to the posted speed limit instead and to be prepared to stop.
If you have been injured on the highways of Georgia due to the fault of another driver, please call the Law Office of Michael West today at (404) 913-1529.