Many of the wrecks are a cold steel tomb for drivers or passengers.

Towies can be called on to hold drips while paramedics help injured people cling to life at frantic crash scenes, direct traffic, or administer first aid.

Despite all they see and do, they do not have any structured counselling.

Inland Towing manager Mick Shillington has been a towie for 25 years, and feels the time is overdue for counselling services to be offered to all tow truck drivers.

Mr Shillington tried to have counselling organised in Ballarat several years ago, and has renewed his call after Monday's fatal crash on the Yendon Number One Rd.

"We need a counselling service that we can go to," he said.

"You can't just bottle it up. It affects you. You just try and get through it the best way you can."

Mr Shillington said there was more to the job than simply hanging around at crash scenes to get work.

He said drivers in Ballarat got along well, and should not be thought of as "vultures".

Mr Shillington said he tried to treat all crash victims as he would expect his own family to be treated, and cared for those caught up in tragedy.

"People only see us trying to take the cars away and they don't see the other side," he said.

"We're human. We feel. I think about the family (the victims) leave behind. It's a terrible situation to be in and we feel for them."

Mr Shillington said the job had an impact on the rest of his family, although he did not talk much about the work at home.

"My wife knows if I've been to a fatal . . . I go white," he said.

"That's my biggest fear, turning up at a fatal with a family member involved."

People who are seeking immediate help for emotion-al problems can call Life Line on 131 114.