Tow truck driver Clem Barnden has been responding to car accidents for 30 years, but there is no routine in his line of work.
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“It’s totally unpredictable, you never know what time you’ll be called up or what situation you’re heading to,” Mr Barnden said.
“It can vary from a minor run in with a kangaroo to a multi car collision, you just don’t know.”
According to Mr Barnden, the end of the year is the most problematic time.
He works in a team of three tow truck drivers servicing the Bega region 24/7, every day of the year, including Christmas.
“It’s a service we have to provide, one that pulls us away from our families,” Mr Barnden said.
“I’ve got my Christmas lunch out of the fridge a few times.”
In a regional area where emergency and volunteer services are stretched thin over the holiday season, the tow truck team can be the first to arrive on the scene.
“Sometimes we beat the cops or the ambulance there, so we need to step into their shoes,” Mr Barnden said.
Without emergency services on site, Mr Barnden and his team are responsible for blocking and directing traffic, clearing the road and caring for injured passengers and drivers who may be in shock.
If the crash is fatal, they cannot touch the person, the car, or anything at the scene.
Mr Barnden said the tow truck drivers worked as a team with emergency services and are on first name basis with each other.
“It’s good to know the other services as friendly faces, you know who you're working with, which can help take the stress out of stressful situations,” Mr Barnden said.
It can be dangerous for tow truck drivers whose workplace is in the path of fast moving traffic.
“You’ve got to evaluate whats going on, look after your own safety and support your team. You’ve got to learn how to deal with these situations before you head out there,” Mr Barnden said.
The tow truck team works quickly, because road closures can become a problem in themselves. Drivers can become agitated by delays, driving more erratically to make up for lost time and potentially causing more problems down the road.
“My main message is have your breaks, you’ll always get there,” Mr Barnden said.
Over three decades, Mr Barnden sees far fewer accidents today than when he first started driving a tow truck.
“Road conditions have improved hugely and I think people are starting to understand road safety, which means we’re called out less,” he said.
“Once upon a time it was non stop, the truck used to be going out all the time, now it’s much quieter.”
Mr Barnden likes his job because he is able to help people get up and running again when they hit trouble.
He urged drivers to look after themselves during long drives and stay alert, pointing to fatigue and wet roads as the main causes behind incidents he attends.
Regional drivers make up two thirds of road fatalities in NSW. Of 354 fatal crashes across the state last year, 272 occurred on country roads.