does anyone know the laws on towing a car that has been stood, ie no tax or mot, i heard the laws changed but cant find anything on it cheers Ant!

from what i know you can tow a car where ever u need to, if its got no mot or tax you cant start it or store it on the road?

if you want someone whos always towing cars give alan in the panda section a shout, he does it on a monthly basis i think

i was told that the laws changed so that you can no longer tow any vehicle on motorways, dual carriageways or A roads. apart from that i'm not sure what the laws currently are.

so far :
http://www.insureyourmotor.com/car-insurance-20/laws-21/

section 6:

Third party liabilities. This is a key section in relation to UK car insurance laws. Section 143 deals with compulsory insurance or security against third party risks and users of cars to be insured against third party risks. This part of the act says that persons should not use a car on the road without car insurance, that a person should not let others drive their car without car insurance. Breach of these points is an offence. The word 'use' is much wider than just driving it. The presence on the road is sufficient to constitute use.

For example towing a broken vehicle is termed as use. In the case of Brown v Roberts (1963) a driver was the 'user' when his passenger opened a door into a pedestrian.

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I thought it used to be as long as the vehicle that is towing the dead car is insured all is ok as it becomes part of the insured car, like a caravan, but there is a niggling that all has changed and i dont realy want to get done for it Ant! i went on the dvla and police web but cant find anything

I'd guess you can get a car added to your policy 3rd party for a day or so? Seems sensible to cover you against idiots that think they can run between cars... then trip over the tow rope and get ran over.

my take is this, the second car, has an engine, working or not, so falls under the remit of the road traffic act as a motorised vehicle, therefore requiring the usual documentation to be rightfully on a public road. just as a normally working car would be.

thinking beyond the tripping over the towrope, what if the tow should break, or control of either car be lost, or someone else crashes into either car? although the car doing the towing may be covered, if the insurance co sees that it was towing a car with no tax, mot or ins itself, would they take the view that the condition of the road raffic act and insurance policy were not being fulfilled? and would they then be looking for another get out clause to not pay you?

of course thats just me being cynical about insurance companies.......

Jai said:

my take is this, the second car, has an engine, working or not, so falls under the remit of the road traffic act as a motorised vehicle, therefore requiring the usual documentation to be rightfully on a public road. just as a normally working car would be.

thinking beyond the tripping over the towrope, what if the tow should break, or control of either car be lost, or someone else crashes into either car? although the car doing the towing may be covered, if the insurance co sees that it was towing a car with no tax, mot or ins itself, would they take the view that the condition of the road raffic act and insurance policy were not being fulfilled? and would they then be looking for another get out clause to not pay you?

of course thats just me being cynical about insurance companies.......

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Whip the engine out? :idea:

Seriously though. A car on tow is less of a danger than a car on a trailer being towed. If the trailer was to escape the hitch then it should brake due to escape wire but has no inteligence i.e will go in straight line regardless of road conditions. At least a towed car has someone able to operate steering and brakes so hopefully preventing a head-on into oncoming traffic.

constructions and use regs will still cover it, anyway you cut it the towed car must be covered as the towing car would be, if you can't then have it trailered, safest option

Jai said:

constructions and use regs will still cover it, anyway you cut it the towed car must be covered as the towing car would be, if you can't then have it trailered, safest option

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So you need insurance, MOT and Tax to be towed? Bit difficult to get an MOT for a car with no running engine

i did have a full set of notes on this issue, but can't find them, will loot it up later at work and post then.

In the old days when emmissions wasn't a factor it was theoreticaly able (so the old fellers said) for a car to pass an mot with no engine, hard to believe yes but there is nothing on the engine you check on the mot sheet its all balljoints and everything else STRANGE!! not now tho STRICT!! whatever it fails on they know next mot and dont forget the police can do a check to see what it failed on last time around GETTING THE BANGERS OFF THE ROAD!! Ant!

tbh, jai wont approve, but i just thought sod it and my mate otwed me 5 miles down the road to my garage with the solid bar.

was too expensive and faffy getting a trailer sorted, and even then id have ot put the car onto the road to get it on the trailer!

laws are stupid when it comes to moving cars that arent working. laws just think people can get hold of trailers and cars with tow bars just like that....its not that simple

Dunc

i did same as you dunc. got a solid tow bar from halfords and towed my uno to a garage with it.

and im another thats done the same with the marea, from gatwick airport to my work, fixed tow ba, jump leads from the install in my mates boot along the bar to the batt so i had lights and big eff of on tow signs...

From what I understand, a vehicle "used on the road" means simply that a vehicle is on or moving on a public highway. Said vehicle doesn't even have to have an engine, but as it is physically touching the road surface it needs to have insurance and comply with the legal requirements as per any other road going vehicle.

Therefore a non taxed/ insured/ MOT'd car being towed with ANY WHEELS STILL TOUCHING THE PUBLIC HIGHWAY is still subjected to requirements and regulations that all other cars need to comply with. That means 'A' frames and towing 'spectacles' that only lift the front wheels of the towed car are still technically breaking the law. The only way to tow a non roadworthy vehicle is to use a trailer that lifts all the wheels off the ground. But then you've got to make sure that the trailer itself is covered by the towing car's insurance...

It does sound Draconian, but if an old wreck being towed on a tow rope suddenly breaks free/ has a wheel come off etc. and you're in a car behind it you might be grateful such regulations exist!

Don't get me wrong. I've towed cars with tow ropes/ frames and stuff all over the place in the past when (I think) the law was different. I wouldn't now though as it's too risky and I'd be likely to end up with points and fines on my licence if caught. It is a pain in the arse when it comes to moving an unroadworthy vehicle from A to B though

I've just phoned up DVLA about this, as I was interested as I wanted to do just this.

It is NOT legal to tow any vehicle without MOT and Tax on a public highway. The car MUST either be on a trailer or have valid trades plates (which would actually give it tax and the necessary road use clause)

So basically, use a trailer.

I am so glad I've got access to trade plates.

Thanks everyone now i know, i'l get it transported no more cheap bangers getting dragged to my house anymore boo hoo!!! Ant!

i dont like this law either gotta pay £75 on sat for a company to trailor a car for me, just money down the drain

beau said:

i dont like this law either gotta pay £75 on sat for a company to trailor a car for me, just money down the drain

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you're geting another? i'm asuming its the one you were checking if scrapped.

why?