It’s the end of a long day at work and you make your way to your car, parked in your company underground parking lot. You get back to your car to find out that someone has reversed into the back of your car and badly damaged it. What to do if another driver strikes your parked car Collect information from the other driver The first piece of advice is to stay calm. Road rage incidents can escalate quickly. The other driver likely did not mean to hit your car and is as freaked out as you. If the driver waited for you to arrive, you need to calmly collect their information: If they left you a note, or worse, escape the scene as a Hit-and-Run driver, you have to search for evidence, like a modern day Sherlock Holmes. Check for witnesses Whether the offending driver stuck around, left a note, or has illegally left the scene (hit-run), check for witnesses. Odds are good that someone saw the driver that hit your car. Ask pedestrians, retailers or residents near where your car was parked if they saw someone hitting your car, or just remembered cars parked near you. A witness might be an actual person or one of the estimated 40,000 surveillance cameras monitoring Perth. While it’s rare that they’ll be able to make out the license plate from a grainy video, at least finding the size and colour of the car can help locate a hit-and-run driver. Take photos Take pictures of the damage to the car/s and the license plate number of the other car (if possible). Taking these photos of the damage, the positions of the vehicles in relation to the car park and any other relevant details can also assist insurance claims. If the other driver is there, and they provide their driver’s license details, you should take a picture of their driver’s license too. It will make sure you have all their details for the insurance companies. Contact police In Western Australia you must report a traffic crash when the incident occurred on a road or any commonly used public place (like carparks) and Sometimes it is hard to assess how much damage has been caused when you are still at the scene. There could be very costly hidden damage, and until a repairer has assessed your vehicle you cannot be sure. If the other driver is not there and just left a note, you definitely should report the crash. You can lodge an official police crash report online at www.crashreport.com.au Contact insurance company File a claim with the other driver’s insurance company for the damage to your vehicle. In most cases this will have no impact on your own insurance premiums as you are the not-at-fault party. If the other party has comprehensive car insurance with free hire car on the policy, you may be eligible to get a hire car on their policy. Companies like Velocity Rentals can provide a loan car to help with getting you back on the road while the other driver’s insurance company repairs your car. Get your car out safely – call Lightning Towing You have a plan now, but you still have to get home and you can’t drive your car in this condition. You’ll damage your car further and it would be illegal and unsafe to drive with. Thankfully you have comprehensive car insurance, and you now need a tow from inside this cramped underground carpark. How is a standard tow truck going to get in here to pick up your car? Lightning Towing Service is the company to call on 1800 TWO TOW or (08) 6555 0945, as we have specialised tow trucks for exactly this purpose. Lightning Towing can go where other companies cannot go, including low heights spaces and do underground car park vehicle recoveries with our low clearance American-style wheel lift trucks, small and nimble tilt tray trucks for tight spaces and 3-degree angle loading trucks for lowered vehicles. Our specialised trucks can handle the tricky vehicle recoveries that other companies cannot match.
How to Prepare your Car for the Wet Perth Winter
Winter is back upon us, and it has been proven that Perth drivers have more accidents in the winter and as if to further prove it Lightning Towing has also seen the number of wet-weather accident towing jobs increase. We would prefer our customers to stay safe, so here are some important tips to prepare your cars for the wet roads this season. Drive Carefully Driving in wet-weather or early morning winter conditions can be unexpected and cars can be less responsive than warmer months, so always proceed with caution and take your time on the roads. It’s not just about surviving those chilly starts; it’s also about keeping you, your passengers and everyone else on the road safe. Use your headlights On those dark mornings you should turn on your headlights for increased visibility. Some cars may have day running lamps, which will keep you permanently illuminated and 8 times safer than those without. Cloudy and/or blown headlights are illegal to drive with in WA, so make sure you clear your headlight casing and replace any bulbs you need before the season hits its peak. Check your tyre tread Turn your front wheels full lock to each side and inspect your tyres for sufficient tread. Tyres without much tread left or are under inflated will have less grip on the road and will mean your car takes longer to stop in wet-weather conditions. New tyres have around 8mm of tread, and the minimum legal tread depth is 1.5mm, but the more tread, the better. If there are any cracks, flat spots or gashes you should have them replaced before stepping out in winter conditions. Balding or damaged tyres significantly increase the chances of been involved in an accident. Correct tyre pressures will also make tyres last longer, and make a major contribution towards fuel economy. Replace your windscreen wipers Ensure that your windscreen wipers are in working order, and replace them if they are degraded or inoperable. Check the wiper fluid is topped up so that you can effectively clear your field of vision from any frost. It’s also worthwhile checking the nozzles and pipes are clear. If the nozzles are spraying too high up you can reposition the nozzles with the end of a paperclip and some little trial and errors adjustments. Wipers are a key part of staying safe on slippery winter roads when there is often poor visibility, and thankfully they are cheap to replace. Warm up your engine Sluggish engines often mean thick fluids and cold pipes. By starting your engine two minutes before you depart you can warm up your car to ensure it’s in smooth working order for your morning drive. If your vehicle has a winter, wet or all weather driving mode, engage this when driving. Check your car battery Cold temperatures can be harsh on a car’s battery. Typically, in winter a car’s fluids can be thicker meaning car batteries may have to compensate by generating extra power. You might also be running extra features like warm air-conditioning and wipers. Check your battery with your mechanic and replace if needed. If you do find yourself stuck with a flat battery, Lightning Towing can provide roadside jump start service for our standard call out fee. Now, we hope you don’t find yourself in an accident or breakdown this winter, stranded on the side of the road. We know how stressful it can be – that’s why we pride ourselves on quick, friendly service, and on getting you and your car off the road as soon as possible. After reading this, do yourself a favour: put our number in your phone, just in case. We hope you never have to use it. Have Lightning Towing’s number (08) 9225 5440 in your mobile phone in case an emergency occurs. Contact Lightning Towing when you are in need and have us stored in case something happens. You never know when your invincibility will expire!
Easter Long Weekend
The Easter long weekend is now upon us which means lots of people will be leaving Perth to head south to relax for a few days. Long weekends have traditionally been times of high risk, due to an increase of traffic on the road. With all the excitement of Easter time, it’s easy to become complacent or forget the importance of safe driving. If you’re travelling long distances to see family and friends, stay focused on the task at hand and make sure you arrive safe and return home. Please drive carefully and remember double demerits apply from the 13th to the 18th of April. In the event of a breakdown or accident over Easter we will still have trucks available to assist you. Call 1800 TWO TOW or (08)9225-5440 Have a safe and wonderful Easter
Perth Weather Finally Warming Up – Is your Car Ready?
Finally the weather is starting to warm up, so now is the time to get your cooling system checked – before Summer arrives. As Perth is known for its very hot Summer days, make sure your car’s cooling system and air con are up to scratch. You don’t want to get left stranded on the side of the road on a hot day. But if the inevitable happens, you can call us on (08) 6555 0945 and we will get a truck out to you and get you moving again.
