TITLE: Recognizing the third week of September 2017 as Towing Industry Awareness Week.

SUMMARY: Recognizing the third week of September 2017 as Towing Industry Awareness Week.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Tow trucks and their drivers have become an indispensable part of our automotive culture, providing welcome assistance to stranded motorists and helping to clear traffic crashes throughout the nation; and WHEREAS, More than 35,000 towing companies operate in the United States, and these businesses employ hundreds of thousands of people, including dispatchers and safety advisors in addition to tow truck operators; these dedicated individuals respond to nearly 15 million traffic accidents each year, coming to the aid of motorists and first responders in all types of weather, at all hours of the day and night; and WHEREAS, Part of our nation's transportation system for the past century, the towing industry traces its roots to 1916, when Ernest Holmes of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was inspired to design the first tow vehicle after assisting in the recovery of a crashed Model T; Mr. Holmes and the company he founded went on to pioneer numerous innovations in towing and produced such classic wreckers as the W-45 model used by the U.S. military in World War II; and WHEREAS, Since the earliest days of the industry, tow truck drivers have faced considerable dangers while performing their jobs; working in the midst of busy traffic and often in poor weather conditions, operators regularly put their lives on the line, and an average of one tow truck worker is killed every six days in the United States; and WHEREAS, To lessen the hazards faced by these skilled professionals, it is important for motorists to observe proper safety precautions when they encounter tow trucks on the roadways, including reducing their speed and moving over to provide additional clearance between the line of traffic and the tow truck and stranded vehicle; and WHEREAS, The towing industry provides essential services to the public, keeping our roadways clear and open for travel, and its workers are truly deserving of special recognition; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby recognize the third week of September 2017 as Towing Industry Awareness Week and extend to all those in the industry sincere best wishes for the future. Cain Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2050 was adopted by the House on May 25, 2017, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House