Think You Can Tow It Yourself? Think Again.
We get the appeal. Hook up a chain, put the flashers on, and save the cost of calling a pro, right? Not exactly. DIY towing sounds like a quick fix, but attempting to tow your own broken-down car can quickly spiral into a much bigger mess. In this blog, we’ll break down the top three reasons why trying to tow your own vehicle can backfire and how a proper Woodburn emergency towing call is often the smarter choice.
Towing Without Training Is a Shortcut to Damage
Here’s the truth: pulling a vehicle, whether it’s a broken-down sedan or a friend’s stalled pickup, requires more than horsepower.
Without training, the risk of doing serious harm skyrockets:
- Bent frames from poorly placed hooks
- Burned-out transmissions from improper towing setups
- Broken bumpers from makeshift tow straps
DIY towers often underestimate the forces at play. A few extra feet of slack, a hard brake, or a sharp turn can rip a vehicle loose or send it fishtailing across traffic. Most consumer-grade gear isn’t built for real-world towing forces. If your rig isn’t set up for towing or you don’t know its limits, your good intentions might turn into expensive repairs or worse.
Your Safety Takes a Hit
There’s no such thing as a good time for a breakdown. And towing on your own only increases the risk. When you’re pulled over on the shoulder, hooking up a strap in the rain, cars whizzing by at 65 mph. Now you’re rushing the job. Maybe the lighting’s bad. Maybe your gear isn’t rated for the weight. And now, you’re moving a disabled vehicle through traffic. Without warning lights, without control, and without backup.
It’s easy to forget how quickly things can go wrong:
- The towed car’s brakes might not work.
- The steering could lock up mid-turn.
- The strap could snap under tension and whip back.
Calling for Woodburn emergency towing means a trained team arrives with gear rated for the job and a setup designed for visibility, control, and safety. You’re not just paying for a truck—you’re buying peace of mind when you need it most.
It Might Not Even Be Legal
Here’s something that often gets overlooked: not every state allows drivers to tow disabled vehicles using just any equipment. Depending on where you are and how you’re towing, you could be breaking the law.
In some cases, towing without proper lighting or safety gear can get you ticketed or held liable if there’s an accident. Insurance doesn’t always cover damage caused by unauthorized towing attempts. And if your DIY attempt leads to an accident? You’re looking at potential legal and financial headaches that could’ve been avoided with one call to our Woodburn emergency towing team.
When to Skip the Rope and Make the Call
We don’t say this to scare anyone. We say it because we want to point out the risks of what happens when well-meaning drivers try to do it all themselves. There’s no shame in asking for help, especially when the alternative is risking injury, legal trouble, or expensive damage.
Here’s when you should absolutely call in the pros:
- If the vehicle has any steering or brake issues
- If visibility is low (nighttime, rain, fog)
- If the car’s stuck in mud, snow, or a ditch
- If you don’t have proper tow-rated equipment
- If you’re not confident in your towing setup
You wouldn’t try to do your own surgery. Don’t treat roadside towing like it’s any less serious.
Baker & Baker Towing: Our Woodburn Emergency Towing Team Has Your Back
At Baker & Baker Towing, our Woodburn emergency towing team has answered countless calls that started with “we tried to tow it ourselves…” and ended with “we probably should’ve called sooner.” Our Woodburn emergency towing service keeps people safe, reducing stress, and preventing small problems from becoming major disasters.
Our Woodburn emergency towing crew comes prepared with the right trucks, proper safety lights, and experience built from years on the job. So the next time you’re stranded, don’t gamble with a DIY fix. Call Baker & Baker Towing, and let us handle the heavy lifting.
