When a Tow Gone Wrong Made the Headlines

In 2023, a widely reported incident outside Las Vegas involved an SUV and a Class 5 cargo truck stranded after heavy rain caused unexpected flash flooding on a state highway. The SUV owner, desperate for help, borrowed a tow strap someone had in their trunk and linked it to a cargo truck, hoping to pull the smaller vehicle back to safety. As the driver accelerated, the tow strap snapped under load and flew backward, shattering the SUV’s back window. Fortunately, no one was injured by flying debris, but both vehicles needed repairs, and traffic was halted for hours.

What went wrong? The strap being used was rated only for light vehicles—nowhere near what’s required for pulling a loaded cargo truck or for demanding recovery use. While many drivers think any “heavy-duty” strap is enough, most consumer straps are untested or make bogus high-weight claims they can’t support in real life.

Why the Difference Between Tow and Recovery Straps Matters

  • Tow straps are built for steady pulls, transferring force between two moving vehicles. (NHTSA Tow Safety)
  • Recovery straps (also called kinetic straps) are designed to stretch, store energy, and “snap” a stuck vehicle free. (Popular Mechanics Tow Strap Guide)
  • Using the wrong strap, or one with an exaggerated (untested) rating, drastically increases the risk of property damage or even serious injury.

How a Sunferno Recovery Tow Strap Would Change the Outcome

  • Certified 35,000 lb Rating: Sunferno tow straps are laboratory-rated and batch tested up to 35,000 lbs—well beyond the load of a stuck Class 5 or 6 cargo truck (14,001–26,000 lbs rated vehicle weight).
  • Unique Dual-Purpose Construction: Unlike generic straps, Sunferno’s manufacturing uses fire-forged dual-layer construction that provides enough strength for towing and just enough controlled stretch for basic recovery. This lets drivers and professionals safely handle most highway vehicle-to-vehicle pulls and standard recovery jobs.
  • No Bogus Claims: Many cheap brands claim impossible limits (like “40,000 lbs” from thin, stitched polyester). All Sunferno batch ratings are certified and traceable.

Had the Las Vegas drivers used a Sunferno recovery tow strap, the strap’s certified capacity would have handled the cargo truck load with a wide safety margin. Any properly attached points would have distributed the force evenly, preventing hardware failure and projectiles, and allowing both vehicles to escape safely and keep traffic moving.

What Sunferno Tow Straps Can (and Can’t) Handle

What they excel at:

  • Pulling or towing regular vehicles, SUVs, pickups, and medium cargo trucks (Class 5–6, 14,000–26,000 lbs)
  • Safely recovering most consumer vehicles from mud, snow, or ditches, when attached to factory-rated recovery points
  • Fleet and municipal use where loads are within tested limits

What they are not built for:

  • Recovering or towing fully loaded commercial semis or large cargo trucks over 40,000 lbs (Class 7–8); these require specialized, ultra-heavy commercial recovery equipment and rigging
  • Any recovery using non-certified attachment points or makeshift hardware

The Real Recovery/Towing Checklist

  • Check the load rating: Never use a strap below the required vehicle weight.
  • Use correct attachment points: Factory tow or recovery eyes, never bumpers or other non-structural parts.
  • Inspect the strap: No visible damage, fraying, or moisture rot.
  • Plan the angle: Pull as straight as possible.
  • Monitor speed: Towing should not exceed 25 mph; recovery should never use high acceleration unless a kinetic strap is intended.
  • Keep bystanders clear: Treat the strap like a live cable—stand well clear at all times.

Professional-Grade Means Proven, Not Promised

Sunferno straps are chosen by professionals not just for ratings, but for their proven ability to do both jobs when needed, tested by over 30k customers. They replace the confusion between “tow” and “recovery” for almost all day-to-day needs—until true commercial and heavy-duty specialized gear is required.

Final Word

The difference between making it home safely and risking a highway tragedy is knowing the rating, construction, and true purpose of your gear. Many incidents—like the one on that Las Vegas highway—would end very differently with a Sunferno-certified dual-purpose tow/recovery strap. But neither Sunferno nor any consumer-rated product should ever be asked to recover a giant commercial vehicle or take risks with non-certified hardware.

When loads get extreme, always call in the professionals. For everything everyday—choose Sunferno, and drive unshaken.