Tow trucks can tow the cars with keys when people call them for help. However, for illegally parked cars, drivers can perform these activities without keys.
Do Tow Truck Drivers Need Your Keys? Tow truck drivers need your keys before towing to decrease time consumption, unlock the doors, estimate repairs of engine and tires, and remove valuable material. They can tow illegally parked vehicles without keys by loading over a flatbed, bypassing the keys, with no need for a running engine and quick pulling and dragging with cranes and dollies.
Bypassing the key is one of the most noticeable ways of keyless activities. Moreover, roadside assistance supports the towing services for alternative ways.
Why do tow truck drivers need your keys before towing?
People call the hauling services to carry and transfer their malfunctioning vehicles. Due to the following reasons, they need your keys.
Less time consumption
The trucks can haul and transfer your car within 10 to 15 minutes with the keys. They can open the doors, check the interior, access the legal documents and take control over the automobiles.
Also, they perform the activity without frustration due to the presence of keys. Therefore, you can give them to the workers before hauling.
Better compatibility of key
They are compatible with door locks and can unlock the dashboard and fuse boxes. However, it protects the service from using alternative ways to open the car.
Traced keys can open locked doors with minimal efficiency. Also, they consume more time than the actual option.
Also, the alternative keys stick inside the locks and cause challenging repairs. A few drivers cannot open the doors due to rules and limitations of service.
To unlock the vehicle
With requests, the trucks approach the callers. They need your keys to unlock the car doors in your presence.
Also, you can trust the services according to their credibility and working history.
In such procedures, the towers unlock the doors, enter inside the car, and put it in neutral. For non-complicated hauling, neutral modes of automobiles are beneficial.
Repairing of the engine and other parts
They look at the vehicle and estimate the number of damages and required services.
With an immobilized engine, they estimate the severity of damages and counsel about the repairing procedures. A few service centers facilitate the repairing of damaged parts with additional charges.
Removal of valuable material
They ask for the keys and keep them while the driver leaves the car before hauling. Also, they enter automobiles to remove valuable gadgets and money.
They secure important assets to prevent damage. For example, they take keys and assets under custody during accidents and remove vehicles from the spot.
Can tow truck drivers tow an illegally parked car without keys?
They can haul illegally parked vehicles from the tight parking without keys. For this purpose, roadside assistance cooperates with them.
Bypassing the keys
The towing service uses alternative keys to open the illegally parked automobile. Mostly, they do not put the vehicles in neutral and tow them without opening the doors. This happens when tow trucks come at night if someone complains about any vehicle.
They carry, stabilize and transfer them to the nearest towing station. Also, it varies according to their workplace policies and limitations.
Loading over a flatbed trailer
For heavy-duty vehicles, the towing service uses flatbed trailers to load and transfer them.
Moreover, self-loading and tow dollies are effective for lightweight vehicles. For loading, they combine the tow truck with a trailer.
Next, they adjust it near the car, pull it over the flatbed trailer, and secure it with hooks and chains. They can also tow parallel parked cars.
Quick pulling and dragging
With dollies and cranes, the tow trucks drag and pull the illegally parked automobiles. However, they adjust them under the wheels of vehicles, change the angles of tires and lift them from the ground.
Next, they load them on the trailers to remove them from the parking spot. However, cranes can hold them from the tires, lift them in the air, and transfer them to distant places.
Also, the drivers do not require the keys to tow them for these procedures.
No need for a running engine
A running engine is not essential for illegally adjusted vehicles. Also, the service can tow them without entering the passenger cabin. They carry and remove them without starting their engines.
However, you can tow automatic cars with a running engine. This is because the four wheels remain stable on the ground without a running engine.
In such conditions, enter the vehicle with alternative methods and adjust it to neutral. Moreover, tow truck drivers can tow vehicles that have manual transmissions. It does not damage their transmission because they do run during the towing.
Cooperation of roadside assistance services
It is a particular service across the USA that facilitates spare tires, repairs them, and offers fuel, towing, and winching.
According to the plan, the road assistance cooperates with the towing service. As a result, it reduces the usage and necessity of keys to tow multiple vehicles in illegal spots.
Is it safe to leave the keys with the tow truck drivers?
It is entirely safe to hand over the keys to the drivers. Also, you can leave them in the ignition hole. In such circumstances, stay around the procedure and monitor it.
Also, take the help of a trustworthy friend and ask him to check the activity. On your behalf, he can identify the towing vehicles with flashing lights.
For a better assessment, their indicators and lights flash at night. The tow drivers cannot manipulate the steering wheel and brake system in modern cars.
With an on the ignition, you can only use the steering system through the relevant keys. For this purpose, give the keys to the drivers and leave the vehicle under their supervision.
What to do when a tow truck driver asks for your keys?
Provide your keys to the tow truck driver and trust the towing service. Also, you can refuse it due to their suspicious behavior and other insecurities.
But, it delays the procedure, makes it complicated, and disturbs the traffic. Due to the defensive response of the car owner, the service cancels the towing facility.
Establish trust with the service and hand over your keys. Several people are aware of these activities because it has become a common practice for such services.
However, you have a legal right to refusal due to their strange behavior. For example, they cannot snatch keys without your consent.
In such circumstances, ask them differently about their work procedure and the location of the service center.
According to their internal policies, they come on request and answer all the questions.