Accident towing in Norfolk, VA
Accident towing is moving a vehicle that was damaged in a crash from the scene to a body shop, an insurance company’s chosen shop or your home. All Wide Towing & Recovery provides accident towing in Norfolk, Virginia and across Hampton Roads, usually on a flatbed.
What to do after a car accident in Virginia
1. Check that everyone is safe. Get medical help first if anyone is injured.
2. Move it, if no one is hurt. Virginia’s “move it” law, Code of Virginia § 46.2-888, says that after a crash with no injuries, if your vehicle can be driven, turn on your flashers, move it out of the travel lanes and let police know where it is.
3. Exchange information. Names, phone numbers, driver’s license numbers, plates, insurance company and policy numbers.
4. Document the scene. Photos of the vehicles, damage, plates, road and signs. Note the location and the names of any witnesses.
5. Follow police instructions if officers come to the scene. On an interstate, you can dial #77 on a cell phone to reach Virginia State Police.
6. Call for a tow if your car can’t be driven safely. Call (757) 796-4622 and tell us where the car is and where it should go.
When your car needs accident towing
- The car won’t start or can’t move after the crash
- A wheel, tire, axle or suspension part is damaged
- Fluids are leaking or warning lights are on
- Lights, mirrors or the windshield are too damaged to drive safely
- You’re not sure it’s safe to drive: don’t risk it
Damage that looks minor can still make a car unsafe. A bent wheel or tie rod can pull the car toward traffic, and a cracked radiator can overheat the engine on a short drive. Airbags that went off, a hood that won’t latch or a door that won’t close are also good reasons to tow instead of drive. If you’re on I-64, I-264 or another interstate and the car can’t move, stay buckled in with your hazard lights on while you wait.
How accident towing works
1. Call (757) 796-4622. Tell us where the car is, its year, make and model, how it’s damaged and where it should go. If police are at the scene, tell us, since officers may direct where the tow truck parks.
2. We arrive and load it. A damaged car usually goes on a flatbed so it doesn’t need to roll. The winch pulls it onto the bed even if a wheel is bent or the car won’t steer.
3. We secure it. Loose parts such as bumper covers or mirrors are secured, and the car is strapped down at the wheels for the trip.
4. We deliver it. To a body shop, your insurance company’s shop or your home in Norfolk or anywhere in Hampton Roads. If it’s safe, take your valuables, documents, registration and any child car seats out of the car before it’s loaded. Keep your towing receipt for your claim.
Accident towing and your insurance
Whether towing is covered depends on your insurance policy. Call your insurer as soon as you can, ask where they want the vehicle taken.
Many policies include towing under collision or roadside coverage, but limits and rules vary, so check your policy or ask your agent. You decide where the car goes. If your insurer suggests a body shop, we can take it there, or to any shop you pick. Take photos of the car before it’s loaded and keep your police report number with your receipt, because your insurer may reimburse the tow depending on your policy.
Read our full guide: What to do after a car accident in Virginia.
What to tell dispatch after an accident
- Where the car is, and whether it’s still in a travel lane or on the shoulder
- Whether police are at the scene or on the way
- The car’s year, make and model, and what’s damaged: front, rear, side, wheels or airbags
- Whether it rolls and steers, and whether any fluid is leaking
- Where it should go: a body shop, the shop your insurance company prefers, or your home
If anyone is hurt, call the police first. Accident-damaged cars usually go on a flatbed so a bent wheel or dragging part doesn’t cause more damage.
Before your car is towed from the scene
Take photos of the damage, the other vehicle, the plates and the scene. Get the other driver’s name, phone number and insurance information. Remove your valuables, registration, insurance card, garage remotes and any toll transponder. Don’t try to drive a car with a bent wheel or a leaking radiator, since that can make the damage worse.
Call your insurance company to ask where they want the car taken. If you don’t know yet, we can tow it to your home and you can have it moved later. Tell us the destination before we load, and ask for the price when you call.
Why choose All Wide Towing & Recovery for accident towing?
All Wide Towing & Recovery is a towing company based at 2151 Maude B. Davis St, Norfolk, VA 23504, serving Norfolk and the Hampton Roads cities of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton and Newport News.
- Local to Norfolk: our trucks start from our base in Norfolk, near I-264.
- The right truck: flatbed, wheel lift and dollies, wrecker and boom truck, matched to your vehicle.
- Light, medium and heavy duty: one towing company for a compact car, a box truck or a commercial vehicle.
- Towing and roadside help: if a roadside fix works, you may not need a tow; if it doesn’t, the same call becomes one.
- Open every day, day and night, including weekends and holidays.
Accident towing across Hampton Roads
We tow damaged vehicles from crashes in Norfolk and across Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton and Newport News, including crashes on I-64, I-264, I-464, I-564 and I-664.
On an interstate, cars in a crash with no injuries should be moved to the shoulder when they can be driven safely, under Code of Virginia § 46.2-888. If your car can’t move, stay inside with your seat belt on and hazard lights flashing, and dial #77 on a cell phone to reach Virginia State Police. Other drivers must move over or slow down for stopped vehicles under Virginia’s Move Over law, § 46.2-861.1. When the scene is safe, call (757) 796-4622.
Accident towing questions
Who pays for towing after an accident in Virginia?
It depends on your insurance policy and who was at fault. After an accident in Norfolk or anywhere in Virginia, you often pay the towing company and then ask your insurer, or the at-fault driver’s insurer, about reimbursement. Keep the receipt from All Wide Towing & Recovery, your police report number and photos of the damage. Check your policy for collision or roadside coverage that may include towing.
Can you tow my car to my insurance company’s shop?
Yes. All Wide Towing & Recovery provides accident towing in Norfolk and Hampton Roads to any body shop or repair shop you or your insurer choose, or to your home. Give us the shop’s name and full address when you call. If you haven’t picked a shop yet, we can take the car to your home or another address you choose, and it can be moved again once you decide.
Do I have to move my car after an accident in Virginia?
Yes, if no one is hurt and the car can be driven safely. Code of Virginia § 46.2-888 says that after a crash with no injuries, you should turn on your flashers, move the vehicle out of the travel lanes and let police know where it is. If your car can’t be driven, stay buckled in with hazards on. All Wide Towing & Recovery provides accident towing in Norfolk and Hampton Roads.
Can I get my belongings out of the car?
Yes. Before All Wide Towing & Recovery tows your car after an accident in Norfolk, take your valuables, documents and personal items out if it’s safe to do so. Remember your phone, charger, garage door opener, registration, insurance card and any child car seats. If you can’t reach something or it isn’t safe, tell the driver, and ask the shop where the car is taken about picking it up later.
Why is a damaged car towed on a flatbed?
A damaged car is towed on a flatbed because the whole car rides on the bed, so it doesn’t matter if a wheel, axle or suspension part is broken. All Wide Towing & Recovery uses flatbeds for most accident towing in Norfolk and Hampton Roads. The winch pulls the car onto the bed even if it won’t roll straight or steer, and loose parts are secured before the trip.
Do you provide accident towing in Virginia Beach?
Yes. All Wide Towing & Recovery provides accident towing in Virginia Beach, as well as Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton and Newport News. We tow damaged cars from city streets, parking lots and interstates like I-264 and I-64 to the body shop, repair shop or home you choose. Call (757) 796-4622 with the location and destination, and ask for the price before the truck is sent.
Is there a tow truck near me after a car accident in Norfolk?
Yes. All Wide Towing & Recovery provides accident towing in Norfolk and across Hampton Roads, and we’re open every day, day and night, including weekends and holidays. First make sure everyone is safe and get medical help if anyone is hurt. Then call (757) 796-4622 with your location, the vehicle and where it should go, and we’ll tell you the price before the tow truck is sent.
What should I do if my car breaks down or crashes in a Hampton Roads tunnel?
Stay in your vehicle with your seat belt on and your hazard lights on, and dial #77 on a cell phone to reach Virginia State Police. Don’t get out to look at the damage or walk in the tunnel. Once your vehicle has been moved to a safe spot outside the tunnel, call All Wide Towing & Recovery at (757) 796-4622 for accident towing to the body shop, repair shop or home you choose in Norfolk or Hampton Roads.
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