Towing a Car With Another Car: Equipment, Safety and Legal Checks
A car towing a car can look like a quick fix when a vehicle quits on the roadside, but towing a car with another car takes more than something strong enough to pull. Legality, equipment suitability, the condition of both vehicles and the route all matter. This guide explains what to check before towing another car and when roadside assistance or flatbed transport is the safer choice.
What to Check Before Considering Car-to-Car Towing
Emergency towing usually starts with a disabled car and a nearby passenger vehicle that seems able to move it. This advice stays general because vehicles and jurisdictions differ widely. Start with both owner's manuals. The towing vehicle's manual states whether it may tow at all, along with its towing capacity and restrictions. The disabled car's manual explains whether it can be towed and how. Just because one car can drag another doesn't mean the drivetrain, cooling system or brakes of either vehicle are suited to the job.
Even a short move can be unsuitable. A car with weak brakes, a locked steering column or a damaged wheel may not follow safely, and wet pavement, darkness, hills or heavy traffic reduce the margin for error. Local rules may forbid the arrangement entirely. If the disabled vehicle is blocking a lane or stopped on a narrow shoulder, move occupants away from traffic where it is safe to do so. Then contact roadside assistance or emergency services rather than improvising a tow next to moving vehicles.
How to Check Whether Towing Another Car Is Legal
People often ask whether towing a car with another car is illegal, but there is no single nationwide answer. Rules for car-to-car towing depend on the state, sometimes on local ordinances, on the type of road and on how the vehicles are connected. An arrangement tolerated on a city street in one state may be restricted on a highway elsewhere. Readers need to confirm which connections are permitted, whether the towed car needs working brakes and lights, what is required of the person steering it and any limits on moving disabled vehicles.
Whether towing a car with a rope is illegal is a separate question. Some rules treat flexible connections differently from rigid tow bars, and some include narrow emergency exceptions meant only for clearing a vehicle from a hazardous position. Don't assume a rope is acceptable because a chain is, or the reverse. The state motor vehicle agency, the state traffic code or the highway patrol can clarify what applies where you are. If the answer stays unclear, treat the tow as not permitted and arrange professional transport.
Rope, Chain and Cable Ratings Do Not Establish Permission to Tow
A car towing chain, tow rope or car towing cable is usually sold with a strength rating, but that number alone doesn't make the product suitable for towing a car on public roads. The manufacturer's stated intended use and instructions matter more. A towing cable for car use marketed for road towing makes a different claim than a lifting strap or a cargo chain. Missing labels, fraying, kinked strands, stretched or cracked links, corrosion or an unknown history are all reasons to stop and get professional help.
The hazards are more about sudden forces than static strength. When slack suddenly pulls tight, the shock load can exceed what the connection was designed to carry. A failed rope, chain or cable can whip back or throw hardware toward occupants and bystanders. A separation can also leave the towed car rolling without control. Recovery gear made to free a stuck vehicle may behave differently from road-towing equipment, so confirm intended use rather than assuming the two are interchangeable. Attachment points and connection steps are outside the scope of this article.
Connection Length, Travel Distance and Speed Restrictions
Two distances are easy to confuse. Maximum connection length refers to the space between the vehicles. An owner's manual limit or legal restriction may instead cover how far the disabled car can be moved in total, so know which one a rule describes. Requirements for connection length, visibility markings such as a flag on the line and towing speed restrictions vary. Confirm the applicable limits instead of relying on numbers heard secondhand. Towing a car behind a car without meeting these requirements creates both legal and safety problems.
A short trip at low speed doesn't make a tow legal, and it doesn't prevent problems. A towed car without power assistance may be hard to steer, stopping distances get longer, and some drivetrains can be damaged over a short distance when the drive wheels turn. The route matters too. At intersections, both drivers have to coordinate their stops. Downhill grades push the towed car toward the lead vehicle, and uphill grades strain the connection. Dense traffic and limited stopping space can rule out even a very short move.
Vehicle Conditions That Require Professional Assessment
When the engine is off or the electrical system has failed, steering and braking behave differently. Power steering assistance may be lost, making the wheel heavy. Brake assistance may be reduced, so the pedal can take far more effort. Lighting may also fail, leaving following drivers without brake lights or turn signals. How much each system is affected depends on the vehicle. Brake or steering faults, damaged wheels or tires, fluid leaks and collision damage are all reasons to skip an improvised tow and get a professional assessment.
Many drivers assume that shifting into neutral makes any car safe to pull, but neutral alone doesn't mean the car can be towed with its wheels on the ground. Some automatic transmissions, all-wheel-drive systems and electrified drivetrains can be damaged if the driven wheels turn while the vehicle isn't running, so check the requirements for that specific vehicle. Towing a car behind a truck raises its own questions. A bigger pickup may have more towing capacity, but size alone doesn't prove it is rated for this arrangement, properly equipped or legal.
Arranging Roadside Assistance and Vehicle Transport
Call roadside assistance or a towing provider when the vehicle's condition is uncertain, when the tow you are considering is prohibited or unclear, or when setting it up would expose anyone to traffic. Give the dispatcher useful details: your exact location and direction of travel and the vehicle's year, make and model. Say whether it is all-wheel drive or electrified and describe the symptoms and any collision damage. Mention whether the wheels roll and steer freely, and note access restrictions such as a parking garage or narrow shoulder.
With that information, the provider can match the service to the vehicle. Flatbed transport carries the whole car off the ground, which avoids drivetrain concerns and suits damaged vehicles. Wheel-lift service raises one axle and fits only when the vehicle's requirements allow the other wheels to roll. Sometimes a roadside repair, such as a jump start or tire change, makes a tow unnecessary. While you wait, follow emergency responders' guidance for your location, stay clear of traffic and don't inspect equipment or attempt repairs next to moving vehicles.