Why the cable is deadly when towing a car
Those who worked at logging sites say that when a steel tow rope breaks, it cuts the trunks of nearby trees up to thirty centimeters thick. Therefore, it is easy to guess how dangerous a stretched flexible hitch is during the evacuation of cars. Tearing cables maim and kill bystanders and the drivers themselves.
Accidents occur off-road, city streets and, most dangerously, in yards. Reports of such incidents occur almost regularly. Moreover, people get fatal injuries not only as a result of a break in the flexible coupling. Often accidents happen when drivers or pedestrians simply do not notice the long and thin steel cable between cars.
Two years ago, there was a terrible accident in Tyumen when a Lada tried to slip between two trucks following each other at an intersection. The car from acceleration crashed into a towing cable that was not noticed by its driver. One of the racks could not withstand the impact, and the iron cord dug into the neck of the front passenger. A 26-year-old young man died at the scene of his injuries, and the driver of the passenger car was hospitalized with neck and face injuries.
To prevent this from happening, traffic rules are required to install at least two flags or shields measuring 200 × 200 mm with red and white diagonal stripes on the cable. The length of the connecting link must be at least four and not more than five meters (clause 20.3 of the SDA). Often drivers neglect this requirement, which leads to sad consequences.
When choosing a cable, many are convinced that a metal product is stronger and more reliable than a fabric one, as it can withstand a large load. But the metal has a serious drawback - susceptibility to corrosion, and even if it breaks, such a cable is more traumatic. After all, worn and damaged products burst more often.
Although the fabric cable can also cripple, because it stretches better, and as a result, it “shoots” more when it breaks. Moreover, at its end there may be a tied hook or bracket, which in this case turn into crushing projectiles. This usually happens when evacuating faulty used cars with rusty brackets.
In the old days, for safety reasons, experienced drivers hung a jersey or a large rag in the middle of the towing cable, which, when broken, extinguished the blow: it folded in half, not reaching the car glass.
Currently, in order to protect yourself and others in such a situation as much as possible, you should strictly follow the towing rules (Article 20 of the SDA), use only a serviceable cable and attach it to the car according to the instructions from the manufacturer. In turn, it is better for pedestrians to just in case stay away from any cables stretched between cars.
