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The recovery of disabled vehicles (1)
Page 51
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THE RECOVERY of vehicles which have been involved in accidents or which have broken down forms an important part of the fleet engineer's responsibilities. The practical difficulties involved were dealt with at some length in CM a little while ago and it is recognized that every expertise needed todeal effectively with every type of recovery job can only be obtained out on the road, in all winds and weathers, under conditions, very often, which can only be described as primitive. The law surrounding this subject can, however, be considered in conditions of comfort, so turn up the fire while we take a look at this quite involved subject.
A person steering a towed vehicle is not "driving" it was the decision arrived at in Wallace v Major (1946) 2 All E.R. 87. In this case the person steeringa vehicle, which was being towed, was prosecuted for dangerous driving but it was held that he was not "driving" and the charge was dismissed. It follows if such work is not "driving" it is not necessary to hold a driving licence to merely steer a towed vehicle. dark or if the 20 mph limit is too slow for one's purpose then the ambulance should be carried on the breakdown wagon instead of being trailed behind it when travelling to the scene of the breakdown. This is an important concession as most ambulances do not comply with many of the C.and U Regulations for example, they are not fitted with wings or springs. Incidentally, one of the things they are not exempt from is the need for a trailer plate.
In order to be sure if a particular "ambulance" is subject to the exemptions the definition of "towing implement" contained in the Regulations must be consulted. It reads: "Towing implement means any device on wheels designed for the purpose of enabling a motor vehicle to draw another vehicle by the attachment of that device to that other vehicle in such a manner that part of that other vehicle is secured to and either rests on or is suspended from the device and some but not all of the wheels on which that other vehicle normally runs are raised off the ground."