Conduct and obligations for crash towing

It is now an offence to advertise or to pay spotter fees (or give other benefits or advantages that may not be monetary), in exchange for information as to the occurrence of a crash or breakdown or details of a vehicle that has been involved in a crash or has broken down. 

It is also an offence for a person to receive such payments or incentives. 

Penalties of up to $45,000 (body corporate) or $9,000 (individuals) apply.

To improve safety and accountability at crash sites, new regulations will require all tow trucks involved in crash towing to have dashboard cameras (dashcams). 

This is to:

• Improve Evidence Collection: Dashcam footage will provide important visual documentation of crash sites, helping with investigations and ensuring correct records of events. 
• Encourage Compliant Behaviour: The presence of dashcams should encourage proper behaviour by all parties at the scene, including tow truck workers and other personnel. 

Dashcam Regulations for tow trucks at crash sites

The dashcams will face forward, filming through the front windscreen and not recording what happens within the tow truck. The intent is to film travel to crash sites, soliciting to have authority to tow forms signed, loading of crashed vehicles and travel away from crash sites. 

The footage is to be kept for three months after each tow, and to be shared with the Department of Transport on request. 

When will Dashboard Camera Recordings be required?

Before starting to travel to the scene of the vehicle crash, the towing worker must check that the dashboard camera unit is in working order and positioned and configured to enable it to make a visual recording.

The towing worker must ensure that a continuous visual recording is made using the dashboard camera unit for a period that starts -

• when the tow truck starts travelling to the scene; or
• If the tow truck travels more than 2 km to the scene - when the tow truck is at least 2 km from the scene;

and ends -

• when the tow truck has travelled at least 2 km away from the scene after the attendance at the scene; or
• if the tow truck travels less than 2 km to its next destination after the attendance at the scene - when the tow truck reaches its next destination.

What are the Requirements for the Visual Recordings?

The visual recording must: 

• record the forward view through the front windscreen of the tow truck; and
• be clear and unobstructed; 
• be at least 720p; and
• continuously display - 
  • the time and date in Australian Western Standard Time; and
  • the latitude and longitude coordinates; and
  • not be affected by electromagnetic interference, or any other interference, that interrupts or reduces the quality of the recording.

The towing worker must ensure that the visual recording is provided to the towing service provider as soon as is practicable but in any case within 48 hours after the photographs are taken.

The towing service provider is to retain the video recordings for three months and to share them with authorised Department of Transport officers on request.