Tow truck drivers risk their lives to assist stranded motorists and keep the roads clear. When vehicles get parked at places they are not authorized to park, a property owner can decide to tow the vehicle according to set state laws. However, sometimes it happens that vehicles get towed illegally. Illegal towing affects many vehicles across the states. While many professional towing companies follow the law when it comes to towing, others don’t. Illegal towing can cause a major inconvenience for a car owner, as well as creating financial and potential damage to a car.
If you believe your car has been illegally towed, there are a couple of key questions you need to ask yourself, to determine the next legal step to take.
Are you at fault?
First, you need to ensure that your vehicle has not violated any parking rules. In most cases, business and apartment owners have their rules on who can park when and where. Before you can park to a premise, you need to ensure that you are allowed to park, else you might land yourself into problems.
Check local towing laws
If you find that you didn’t violate any parking laws, the towing company might be at fault. You need to research on municipality towing rules to ensure that you follow the law while parking. Pay attention to ensure that you don’t park in a place where there are signs forbidding a vehicle from parking. When you park, take pictures of the place of parking to ensure you can prove a case before a court of law.
Getting Your Vehicle
If you are a victim of illegal towing, your main concern will be getting your vehicle back. You should not fall a victim again for extra towing charges that can be placed by a towing company on the pretext of storage and holding of the vehicle. You need to check with the local regulations on the amount a towing company can charge a car owner per day for vehicles stored following a tow. Ensure that your vehicle has not gotten damaged while at the hands of a towing company. If you notice any form of damage, do not sign the release papers until you have the damage documented in writing and in the picture. While you may feel frustrated your car was towed illegally, do not take matters on your own hands, but instead, let the law take its course.
