07/10/2026
There is a number that does not get talked about enough in this industry.
Tow operators are killed at a rate of 43 per 100,000 workers. The rate for all other industries combined is 3.
That gap is not closed. It is not marginal. It is one of the most dangerous occupational fatality rates in the United States, and most of the people carrying it go to work every single night without anyone outside this industry acknowledging what they are walking into.
An October 2025 national study found that 36% of drivers captured on roadside video did not slow down or change lanes near stopped vehicles, violating the law entirely. Drivers were least likely to protect tow operators, with only 58% complying near stopped tow trucks.
That 58% means that on any given call, four out of ten drivers passing your operator on the shoulder are not doing what the law requires.
California amended its Move Over law effective January 1, 2026, to explicitly include tow trucks, Caltrans vehicles, and roadside assistance crews. Most states still have laws that do not explicitly name tow operators in their protections.
This post is not about marketing. It is about the people running the calls.
Share this with your team.