Towing Vehicles — Rules and Equipment
Towing requires proper coupling, brake lights, and a safety chain. Towed vehicles have speed limits.
Towing requires a proper tow bar or approved connection. The towed vehicle's brake lights must be functional. Maximum speed while towing: 25 km/h (rope) or as per the vehicle's registration. Rope-towing on highways is prohibited.
Penalty Under Law
₹500–₹1,000 for improper towing (Sec. 177 MV Act). Causing accident: Sec. 184.
Legal Source
CMVR Rule 90, 91, 92; MV Act Sec. 119
What the Law Says
CMVR Rule 90 specifies that any vehicle being towed must have its brake lights operational and connected to the towing vehicle's electrical system if towed at night. Rule 92 requires a safety chain in addition to the tow bar in case the primary connection fails. Speed limit when towing: maximum 25 km/h with a rope, and restricted as specified in the breakdown recovery vehicle's permit on highways.
💡 Why This Rule Exists
Improperly towed vehicles are unpredictable — the tow rope may snap, the towed vehicle can swing out of control, and without working brake lights, following traffic has no warning of slowing. Highway rope-towing creates extreme risk as other vehicles travel at 80–100 km/h past the slow-moving tow combination.
Key Facts
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On highways: only licensed breakdown recovery vehicles (with permits) may tow.
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Rope towing: maximum 25 km/h, only permitted on city roads, not national highways.
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The towed vehicle must have someone steering it if it is being tow-roped.
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Tow bar: rigid connection — safer than a rope. Driver of towed vehicle not required if there is a rigid bar.
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Night towing: mandatory that brake lights and tail lights of towed vehicle work.
⚠️ Common Violations
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Rope-towing on highways at normal highway speed.
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Towing without the towed vehicle's brake lights connected.
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Using a nylon rope that can snap without warning.
Frequently Asked Questions
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More Special Conditions Rules
Night Driving Rules — Lights and Visibility
Headlights are mandatory from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise. High beams must be dipped when oncoming vehicles are within 200 metres. Hazard lights are not a substitute for headlights.
₹500–₹1,000 for driving without lights (Sec
Driving in Fog, Rain, and Adverse Weather
In fog or heavy rain: use low-beam headlights (not high beam), reduce speed significantly, increase following distance to 3+ seconds, and use hazard lights only if stopped.
Causing accident in adverse weather through failure to adjust speed: Sec
Rules for Use of Horn
Horn use is prohibited in silence zones (hospitals, schools, courts). Multi-tone horns and air horns are illegal on private vehicles. The horn is a safety device — not a frustration-release tool.
₹1,000 under Sec
Driving in Rain and Waterlogged Roads
In rain: reduce speed by 20–30%, double your following distance, use low-beam headlights (not hazard lights), and avoid waterlogged roads where you cannot see the road surface. Aquaplaning (tyres losing contact with the road) begins at as low as 60 km/h on standing water.
₹500 (Sec