Section 204-91A-150 - Towing procedure Officers of the patrol will obtain towing services to remove damaged or disabled vehicles from the highway or to remove vehicles from the highway with the following limitations:
(1) If the vehicle does not constitute an obstruction to traffic and the vehicle's owner or operator is present at the scene and appears competent to determine disposition of the vehicle, the vehicle's owner or operator may make the arrangements for removal. This does not affect rotational positions.(2) If the vehicle is to be removed from the scene, the vehicle's owner or operator may make a specific request for a particular tow operator. The request will be honored by the officer of the patrol if the requested tow operator is reasonably available and the request is otherwise reasonable in view of the circumstances at the scene. This does not affect rotational positions.(3) When the vehicle's owner or operator makes no specific request, or is incapacitated or unavailable, the officer of the patrol will, when practicable, obtain towing services by notifying the radio communications center and requesting tow service at that location.(4) The chief or designee will specify that tow services obtained by the patrol will be on a contractual, rotational, or other basis in specific geographical areas in the state.(5) For the purposes of rotational or contractual tow requests, an approved tow truck must be used only in the tow zone designated by the district commander. The patrol may, when tow service is not reasonably available within the given zone, obtain service from an adjacent zone.(6) The patrol may allow approved towing firms to establish their own central dispatch centers to dispatch tow trucks at the request of the patrol in selected geographical areas of the state.(a) These dispatch centers will be the responsibility of those member towing firms that utilize this type of service, and must dispatch the specific company requested.(b) The patrol communications center will advise the towing dispatch center of the approximate location, number of tow trucks needed, number of occupants, make, model and color of the vehicle, if available, and the reason for the call. The towing dispatch center will be responsible for dispatching the participating firm's tow trucks.(c) Records of all tow trucks dispatched at the request of the patrol must be maintained by the towing dispatch center for a period of three years.(7) Tow operators responding to calls from the patrol must be capable of transporting one occupant. In those instances where the occupant is argumentative, disabled, or otherwise incapable of riding in a tow truck, the patrol will provide or obtain alternative transportation.(8) Emergent movement of any oversized or overweight vehicle or combination of vehicles requiring a permit must only be made to the nearest safe location, until such time as a permit is acquired or until the load can be made legal by reducing the nonfixed load. Emergent movement of a vehicle is limited to a distance of five miles, unless an exception is granted by a patrol supervisor based on special circumstances.Wash. Admin. Code § 204-91A-150
Amended by WSR 17-10-029, Filed 4/26/2017, effective 5/27/2017Statutory Authority: RCW 46.37.005, 46.55.050, and 46.55.115. 09-09-118, § 204-91A-150, filed 4/21/09, effective 5/22/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 46.35.005 [46.37.005]. 89-14-015 (Order 89-04-ESR), § 204-91A-150, filed 6/23/89.