Controversial Towing Incident: Driver’s Great Escape

If you’ve ever had your car towed, you know how stressful it can be to recover. These days, almost everything is on social media. As such, a video of a tow truck trying to tow a car has been going viral. The tow truck’s attempt to tow the vehicle while the driver was inside gave the video its traction as the driver escaped towing.

The Law on Tow Trucks: Driver Escaped Towing

The Tiktok famous attorney Ugo Lord gave his legal opinion concerning the video. He said there must be a lawful reason for the tow truck to try to tow the car. However, simultaneously, you cannot pull a vehicle if an occupant is inside. 

You can see from the video that the driver escaped towing. She was still inside the car. She was trying to make her great “driver escaped towing” escape, and she would not get out of the vehicle. So this means that the tow truck should have let her go. In other words, the tow truck is at fault and should be responsible for any damages, if there are any.

Under What Circumstances Can My Car Be Towed?

One of the reasons why authorities will tow your car is if you get involved in an accident. Another reason is if your car suddenly stops in the middle of the road due to a faulty part. There are situations where police will tow your vehicle without your permission. As a driver, avoiding towing can be challenging. Here are the circumstances under which police will tow your car without your consent:

• Police officers can tow your car against your will if your driver’s license has expired. Another situation is if your car registration has expired. And retrieving your vehicle depends on the situation you are in. Because in some cases, you have to pay a tow fee. You must also provide evidence that you renewed your license or registration.

• If you park your car illegally, such as in an emergency area or a space designated for handicapped individuals when you are not handicapped, authorities will tow your vehicle. 

• Another reason authorities might tow your car is if you leave it in a prohibited area overnight. Sometimes, there is a 72-hour grace period before they can pull your vehicle. So if you, as the driver, don’t remove your car from the area before the time to escape towing, then they will tow it. 

• A tow truck can also tow your car if it blocks the entrance of a homeowner’s driveway. For example, parking in front of a person’s gate hinders them from entering their home. Also, authorities can tow your car if you park in a place with a “no parking” order. As a driver, avoid this to prevent towing.

What Can I Do if Authorities Tow My Car Wrongly?

If authorities wrongly tow your car, gather enough evidence to prove it and avoid paying towing costs. You can provide things like:

• Your parking receipts will prove that you paid for a meter.  

• A copy of the police report in response to the complaint.

•  Capture images or videos of the neighborhood where your car is parked. This way, you can demonstrate that your parking is legal.

You should know that the things listed above are just a few you need. So, you should get a lot of evidence to verify that police tow your car wrongly. You will need this evidence to submit a claim for damages. So that the tow truck company that caused the damages will pay you back, and you can escape towing.

Lastly, you should know that if the authorities tow your car because you broke the law, you may pay double the towing fee. On the other hand, if a tow truck firm breaks the law by towing your car wrongfully, they could pay up to four times the amount you paid to retrieve your vehicle.

 If a tow truck operator intentionally violates the law, they could face fines and imprisonment for up to three months. Additionally, know about your state’s towing regulations—each state has its own. Gathering comprehensive information is crucial to avoid towing.