Everyone knows that purpose of tow hook is very simple, it is used to tow a car and rescue stuck vehicles.
Many people think that only SUVs are available. In fact, all cars are equipped with them, but in different forms. Most of them are hidden inside bumper of a car or in trunk of a car.
You only need to screw it on when you need to use it (there is a tool bag in back box and a tow hook inside).
However, after popularity of SUVs in our time, many car owners like to add a tow hook, which is convenient for off-road rescue, and secondly, it allows you to protect yourself as much as possible when driving from behind.
Since then, tow hitch has become a "fraud hook" and has gained notoriety.
The question then becomes, is it illegal to install a tow hitch? Is it legal to install a towbar without a permit?
According to "Regulation on Motor Vehicle Registration" issued by Ministry of Public Security, small cars and cars are allowed to install front and rear collision avoidance devices, so it is legal to install a tow hook. as long as car complies with rules.
I continued looking through rules and found:
Article 16, paragraph 1 of Law on Road Safety:
It is forbidden to modify design, construction and characteristics of vehicle without permission. In addition, in accordance with Order No. 124 of Ministry of Public Security, anyone who changes shape of a car and related registration data without permission will be ordered by traffic department of public security agency to restore it to its original condition. original condition, and a warning or a fine of less than 500 yuan will be imposed.
In other words, modified part surpasses original appearance and structure.
Unauthorized installation of trailer hitch is therefore a violation of rules.
However, this fine is very small, and it is very easy to disassemble and install it, roughly speaking, after it is caught by traffic police, it will be dismantled.
It will not be difficult to reinstall after a while, so it is very difficult to prevent unauthorized installation of trailer hitch.
Can tow hook protect itself?
The editor did not study this in detail, but judging by results of collision, effect is obvious.
By way, someone asked
If an accident occurs with towbar installed, will insurance company pay?
Think about it other way: from point of view of an insurance company, if it is possible not to compensate, it does not compensate.
Especially if car equipped with a towbar is in back, insurance company may use illegal installation as an excuse to prevent compensation.
However, premise for lack of compensation is that it was caused by drawbar. For example, in Beijing, a taxi driver crashed into a Prado from behind.
Prado installed a towbar and taxi sustained significant damage as a result of a collision from behind. The taxi driver believed that Prado had been modified illegally and that other party was solely responsible.
After insurance company and traffic police arrived at scene to investigate, they believed that taxi had been hit from behind and Prado was not responsible for this.
So insurance company doesn't pay? It depends on actual accident process.
I learned from traffic police that it is not only difficult for cars with tow hooks to pass annual technical inspection, but after they find out about it, traffic police will impose appropriate fines. Traffic officials also stated that if a car tow hook is installed without permission during a regular vehicle inspection, because parameters such as length of car have been changed, external inspection of car will not pass, and traffic police will require owner to immediately restore vehicle to its original state. . In addition, if a vehicle with an unauthorized towing hook is found on road, traffic police on duty will also investigate and deal with it.
Appendix:
According to Article 16 of Motor Vehicle Registration Regulations of Ministry of Public Security:
1. Light and light duty vehicles are equipped with front and rear collision avoidance devices;
Second, add windshields, water tanks, tool boxes, spare wheel racks, etc. to trucks.
Third, increase interior trim of cars.
Three cases are allowed. In addition to changing make, model, engine model of a car, changing appearance and related technical data of a registered car are illegal modifications.
Accompanying Provisions on Illegal Modification of Motor Vehicles "Regulations on Motor Vehicle Registration" Article 10, if registered vehicle needs to change nature of use, body color, body or frame, etc., motor vehicle owner must inform registered vehicle Office management submits an application for registration of change.
Article 16 of "Road Safety Law of People's Republic of China", paragraph 1, provides that no organization or individual may assemble a car or change registered structure, structure or characteristics of a car without permission.
Changing chassis, engine, suspension, transmission system, steering system, tires, wheels, headlights, body color and appearance, and relevant technical data of vehicle and State Council vehicle without permission of traffic control department of public security Any discrepancies in data declared by Supervisory Department of Automotive Products are all modifications. (Declared data includes: vehicle steering shape, body size, fuel type, number of leaf springs, wheelbase, number of tires, tire specifications, gross vehicle weight, permitted load weight, environmental compliance, displacement/power, number of axles and car exterior photo).