The invention relates to a towing assembly that is used in towing operations to avoid damage or injury to persons when a soft tow apparatus, such as a tow strap, tow rope, or cable, fails during vehicle recovery operations. The assembly comprises: (a) a recovery strap that can be connected to a towing vehicle and a vehicle to be towed; (b) a diffuser strap that can be connected to a towing vehicle and a vehicle to be towed and (c) two or more sleeves disposed on the diffuser strap. The diffuser strap captures and dissipates the kinetic and potential energy that is released when the recovery strap breaks.