For 25 years, my profession as a journalist has made me see the increase in accidents where service towing vehicles are hit by a car or truck.
Not invariably fatal, but always traumatic.
What is common to all these tragedies?
The vehicle requires recovery and lacks protection upstream. Worse, protection at a lower cost!
In other words, a few cones along the road and sometimes a patrol van with emergency signal lights.
But who are we laughing at?
Since when a patrol van of less than 3.5 tons can stop or slow down a vehicle traveling at 80 km/h, 90 km/h, 130 km/h, or more.
Since when are these ridiculous means supposed to protect us?
A high-profile example of the French Riviera in March 2024 on the A8 freeway shocked public opinion.
A car collided with the emergency services (tow truck operator, highway patrol, police officers) responding to a vehicle that had crashed after aquaplaning.
Result: one patrol officer died, another seriously injured, as well as two policemen and one tow truck driver injured.
The reaction of ESCOTA (a VINCI Autoroutes subsidiary), which holds the concession for this tolled freeway section, was swift .
A message of sympathy was sent to the family of the deceased via VINCI Autoroutes radio, and a flurry of press releases denounced the irresponsible attitude of the motorist who hit the responders, calling him a “crazy car.”
VINCI Autoroutes filed a lawsuit for homicide.
Wait, isn’t it VINCI Autoroutes that should be facing legal action?
Sending vans weighing less than 3.5 tons to protect a recovery operation on a downhill freeway that has been submerged by torrential rain for 24 hours and is known for its dangerous conditions is considered a failure to assist a person in danger.
We’ve been saying for years that these highway companies need to deploy 1, 2, or 3 “shock-absorbing” trucks, i.e., machines weighing 26 tons, ahead of these operations.
This is the only effective way to avoid these tragedies.
However, investment is more critical and bad for the group’s financial results.
Did you know?
Blood alcohol and drug screenings of the driver of the “crazy car” are negative.
The patrolman who died in March 2024 had already been wounded by a truck ramming into him in 2018 at the same point on this highway.
In 2015, on this same stretch of highway near the toll booth, a bus lost control, killing one and injuring 21.
In 2019, ASFA (Association of French Motorway Companies) had the decree on the “Move Over” modified to the detriment of those first responders.
This article was published in LDM, The towing Magazine n°98.
