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Committee hears bill to let tow trucks operate under frost laws during emergencies
Summary
Representative Johnson presented House Bill 4203 to permit towing and recovery vehicles to operate on frost-law restricted roads while removing disabled vehicles during declared emergencies, with a required notice to county road agencies and a 35 mph speed cap, witnesses said the change would reduce dangerous delays in roadside recovery.
LANSING — Representative Johnson told the House Transportation Infrastructure Committee that House Bill 4203 would allow towing and recovery vehicles to operate on roads subject to Michigan’s seasonal axle-weight limits when responding to emergencies to remove disabled, accident-damaged or impounded vehicles.
"This is a limited exemption that protects public safety without creating significant risk to our infrastructure," Representative Johnson said, noting existing exemptions for public utilities, agricultural haulers and propane deliveries. Johnson said operators must notify the county road agency if they believe they will exceed seasonal limits and must travel at or below 35 miles per hour while operating under the exemption.
Josh Clayton, who identified himself as representing the Michigan Towing Association, told the committee that the current process can be slow and risky. He said towing firms sometimes face citations during frost restrictions and that applying for an overweight or over-length permit is a lengthy process for emergency calls. "It's a risky process because there's not an authorization to haul a vehicle during the frost exemption," Clayton said.
Committee members asked about existing statutory authority. The analysis discussed section 716 of the Michigan Vehicle Code, under which MDOT may issue overweight permits, and section 725, which establishes permit processes for oversized and overweight vehicles. Witnesses and members said the bill is intended to clarify that a towing vehicle removing a disabled vehicle during a declared emergency may proceed after notifying the county road commission and operating at a reduced speed.
Representative Johnson said the exemption would be narrow; she told the committee she estimates there are roughly 150 to 250 towing vehicles statewide that would commonly operate under such circumstances. No committee vote was taken on the bill at the hearing.
