Accident Recovery
Accident Recovery and Collision Towing
After a collision your first job is you, not the car. Get somewhere safe, call 911 if anyone is hurt or the vehicle is blocking traffic, and deal with the vehicle second. When you are ready, we will handle that part.
First, in order
This is the sequence that matters, and it is worth reading before you ever need it.
- Check yourself and your passengers
- Move to a safe place away from traffic if you can
- Call 911 for injuries or a blocked roadway
- Exchange information and photograph everything
- Then call for a tow
Where the vehicle goes next
You get to choose. Not the other driver, not the other driver's insurer, and not whoever happened to arrive first. It can go to your preferred body shop, to a storage yard while the claim is worked out, or home. If you do not know yet, we can hold that decision until you have talked to your insurer.
Working with responders
On scene we take direction from law enforcement and fire so we are not in the way of the part that actually matters. Once the scene is cleared for removal we load the vehicle, sweep up what came off it, and get the lane back open.
Where we provide accident recovery
We are based at 21158 OR-99E in Aurora, OR, and we cover twenty five towns across the Willamette Valley and the south Portland metro, plus part of Clark County in Washington. The closest and busiest are Aurora, Canby, Woodburn, Wilsonville, Hubbard, Newberg. If your town is not on the service area list, call anyway and we will tell you honestly whether we can get to you.
When the police call us instead of you
After a collision on 99E or I-5 you may not get a choice about who tows your vehicle. If the car is blocking a lane or is not driveable, the responding officer clears the scene first and calls whoever is on the rotation. That is normal, it is not something to fight at the roadside, and it does not mean you are stuck with that company afterwards.
What matters at that moment is smaller than it feels: get the name of the company and the phone number written down before you leave, take a photo of the vehicle where it sits, and take your registration, insurance card, garage door remote, phone charger and anything else you actually need out of the car. Once it is in a storage yard, getting a wallet out of the glovebox becomes an appointment instead of a thirty second job.
Storage, and why the first 24 hours cost you money
Storage is charged by the day, and a damaged vehicle sits still while three parties decide what happens to it: you, your insurer, and the body shop. The single most expensive thing you can do is nothing. Call your insurer the same day, even before you know whether you are claiming, and tell them where the vehicle is and who has it. That one call is what starts the clock on their side.
If the car is going to be totalled, the insurer usually wants it moved to their own facility, and they will normally arrange that. If it is repairable, tell us which shop and we can move it there directly rather than into a yard first. A vehicle that goes crash site to shop costs less than one that goes crash site to yard to shop.
Getting your belongings back
You have a right to your personal property in the vehicle whether or not the towing bill is settled. Call ahead, bring photo ID that matches the registration, and come during office hours if you can — a yard visit at 9pm with a flashlight is nobody’s best moment. Child seats are worth a specific mention: after any meaningful impact they should be replaced rather than reused, and most policies cover that. Take it with you anyway so the decision is yours.
What we can move, and what we hand off
We recover cars, light trucks, SUVs and vans, and we will take on smaller motorhomes, box trucks and trailers when the rig fits. What we will not do is pretend a wreck is within our reach when it is not. A loaded semi on its side needs a rotator and a crew that does nothing else, and if that is what you are looking at we will tell you straight away and point you at somebody who has the right equipment. Sending the wrong truck to a scene wastes an hour you do not have.
FAQ
Accident Recovery: common questions
Does my insurance cover the tow?
Many policies include towing after a collision, and many do not. Keep the receipt and ask your adjuster. We can provide documentation for the claim.
Can I choose where my car is towed?
Yes. It is your vehicle and your decision, regardless of what anyone at the scene tells you.
My car still drives after the accident. Do I need a tow?
Frame, suspension and airbag sensor damage are not always visible. If there is any doubt, tow it and have it inspected.
The police had my car towed by someone else. Can you take over?
Usually yes. Once the scene is clear you decide where the vehicle goes next. Call us with the name of the yard holding it and where you want it to end up and we will tell you what that move costs before we do anything.
Can I get my things out of the car after it has been towed?
Yes. Personal belongings are yours regardless of the bill. Call first so we can have the vehicle accessible, and bring photo ID that matches the registration.
Should I have it taken to a shop or to a storage yard?
Straight to the shop if you already know where it is going and they can receive it. Every extra stop is another load, another fee and more days of storage. If you do not know yet, we will hold it and you can decide without a meter running on a decision you are not ready to make.
Do you handle heavy commercial wrecks?
No. We are a light duty operation: cars, light trucks, SUVs, vans, and smaller motorhomes, box trucks and trailers when the rig fits. Anything bigger needs a rotator and a heavy crew, and we will refer you rather than waste your time.
Need accident recovery?
One call gets you a real person, a straight price and a truck on the way.