Ottawa Police have charged six tow-truck operators after an incident in the city earlier this week. They say the problem of tow trucks chasing collisions has reached epidemic proportions. The tow operators were charged with congesting the scene of an accident in order to solicit business. Their presence at the collision made it difficult for emergency vehicles to access the area. It is illegal for a tow truck operator to approach the victim of a collision unless they have been called, either by the victim or by the police.
Last year, police staged a number of fake collisions in order to crack down on unsolicited tow companies. That didn’t seem to help, as the problem has gotten worse. Motorists are being advised to turn down offers from tow companies that arrive unsolicited on the scene. Take advice from your insurance company instead.