Lawmakers cracking down on ‘Wild West’ of ‘predatory’ towing – plan to stop ‘bad apple’ operators from overcharging

A bill has received support from lawmakers cracking down on predatory towing and towing of American drivers.

The bipartisan act followed an investigation into the Wild West Towing in Charlotte, North Caroline exposed the serious problem of predatory towing companies that overcharge drivers stop them cars.

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The bill to crack down on towing and booting in North Carolina received support from the House of Representatives on Wednesday, local CBS News affiliate reports. WBTV reported.

The news outlet’s investigation found that towing companies in the state charge drivers hundreds to thousands of dollars to recover their vehicles after illegally towing them.

Rep. Carson Smith is the bill’s lead sponsor.

“I don’t like new laws, I don’t like new commissions”, he stressed.

“But it’s like the Wild West out there.”

House Bill 1024 would establish a new commission setting towing rates for different regions of the state.

The legislation would also create a licensing or authorization system for tow truck drivers.

There is currently no tow truck system in the state.

The project also includes a new website that allows drivers to check who towed their car.

The site also lets car owners know how much it would cost to recover their vehicle.

Both Democrats and Republicans noted that a regulatory framework was long overdue.

“Today’s reaction was exactly what Rep. Smith and I hoped to see,” said Rep. Laura Budd.

The local towing network is flooded with criminals and scammers who make big profits towing and wrenching automobiles, WBTV’s investigation found.

Of course, these sketchy towing companies also make a lot of money by selling everything that customers don’t complain about.

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

There have been car chases, kidnappings, drug trafficking and even interstate robberies linked to towing companies and their employees in North Carolina.

Because predatory towing is a major problem in the state, industry lobbyists have signaled their support by working with lawmakers to get a version of the bill passed.

“We deeply appreciate the interest of the bill sponsors in promoting industry best practices and advancing policy,” spokesperson Cassidy White said in a statement.

“This positively impacts both North Carolina Towing and Recovery Professionals and the citizens we serve. With our long history of working closely with legislators to this end,

“We look forward to continuing this collaboration this session and in the years to come.”

Although the bill still has several more committees in the House to pass before it becomes law, representatives supporting it expressed that they are “optimistic” that it will “pass.”

“We have bipartisan support in the form of primary sponsors as well as several co-sponsors and we also have industry support,” said Representative Budd.

“They need it, they’re asking for it, and it’s our job to get it for them.”