Massive parking crackdown sees more than 800 cars towed and booted in 1 month, while authorities demand more than $2 million in fines

HUNDREDS of cars have been towed or booted as a city tries to recover millions of dollars in unpaid fines.

More than 800 cars in Washington DC were penalized after drivers failed to pay their parking tickets and driving fines.

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The city’s Department of Public Works placed parking boots on 777 vehicles last month, according to the local Fox affiliate. WTTG.

The cars racked up more than $1.5 million in unpaid fines.

Another 69 vehicles with $604,404 in unpaid fines were towed from city streets.

City officials said the unpaid tickets made the streets less safe.

They pointed to several violent accidents in the city where drivers with exorbitant amounts of unpaid fines were found guilty.

“A lot of people who drive in the city don’t pay speeding tickets,” Johnny Gaither, a representative for the city’s Parking Enforcement Department, told the station.

“They’re not paying the red light fines, they’re not paying these types of fines and these really sensitive safety issues and part of the mayor’s zero one vision is to get these people off our streets.”

City officials are also about to open a new impound facility capable of storing more than 300 cars.

The city said it will continue to look for drivers whose tickets have been out of date for years.

Authorities said they are targeting drivers who have incurred more than $3,000 in past-due fees.

The city has adopted a Vision Zero program that aims to end traffic violence on the streets.

Program director Charlie Willson recently said WTOP News that new street-mounted technology helped authorities track past-due bills.

“License plate readers are able to read the license plate as the officer passes by and that tells them the status of the person,” Wilson said.

“So based on that, they are traveling with a tow truck that can immediately tow the vehicle.”

What to do if your car is towed

Unfairly or not, recovering a towed vehicle can be a hassle.

If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are some steps you can take to get it back.

Steps to follow when your car is towed:

• Try to find out why your car was towed. Haven’t you seen a “No Parking” sign? Did you miss your car payment? Have you returned to a lot where there were unpaid citations? Finding the reason may narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
• Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities or counties require towing companies to leave some type of contact information via a posted or mailed sign.
• Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but these times will be posted on the website or may be provided by a representative.
• Pay the fees. Be careful to be as quick as possible, as some towing yards may charge per-day storage fees.

If you believe your vehicle was improperly towed, you can dispute the action by following these steps:

• Be quick – many states have a small window of time in which it is acceptable to file a claim against a company that improperly towed your vehicle.
• Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements, if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
• Familiarize yourself with local laws, as laws for towing companies vary by state.
• Try talking to the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight and the matter can be resolved quickly.
• Contact your local Justice of the Peace as they may have more information or resources to help. They are often used for towing cases.
• Speak to a lawyer. Many lawyers offer free consultations and, depending on the case, it may be worth calling on a lawyer.

Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak law firm

Washington is one of several cities that responded after drivers racked up millions in parking tickets.

Dozens of drivers in San Francisco have racked up thousands of dollars – the city estimates they are owed $1.6 billion.

One resident owes more than $33,000 in fines.

New York City is also struggling with paying fines.

City drivers owe $1 billion in unpaid parking fines, according to Axes.