Police crack down on tow truck drivers breaking road rules in Mississauga and Brampton

Police are cracking down on dangerous and aggressive tow truck drivers on the streets of Mississauga and Brampton.

Peel Regional Police says members of the road safety services team have begun ongoing monitoring and enforcement of tow trucks operating in the Region of Peel under Ontario’s Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act (TSSEA).

The legislation was phased in starting in January and brings new requirements for tow truck drivers and operators across the province to improve safety “and ensure tow truck operators are held to the same standards as other commercial vehicle operators,” the province said.

Peel police say officers are conducting monitoring and enforcement of tow trucks to tackle “the ongoing problems relating to the towing industry,” including dangerous and aggressive driving.

In June 2020, the province established a towing task force to increase safety and enforcement while improving industry standards in response to “concerns about violence and criminal activity in the industry.”

Tow truck drivers in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon have previously had run-ins with police, including a tow truck driver busted going nearly double the speed limit in a 70 km/h zone, a Mississauga tow truck driver charged with drug offences, and a Brampton tow truck driver caught on video driving into oncoming traffic.

Police are asking the public to report any tow trucks observed driving dangerously by filling out a RoadWatch form online or by calling 9-1-1 in an emergency.