Lawmakers are stepping in after several drivers complained about $300 towing fees.
Potential new road laws seek to regulate towing companies after almost 50 drivers lodged complaints about the fees.
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North Carolina lawmakers have introduced two bills in hopes of controlling how much tow operators can charge drivers.
The laws would set a maximum price for each tow, depending on the type of vehicle and the region from which the car was towed.
State lawmakers decided to introduce the bills after individual companies received dozens of complaints filed with regulators, according to The daily tar jump.
A towing company that had a contract with a popular shopping mall received almost 50 complaints, the publication found.
Lauren Robinson was a driver whose car was jacked up in 2023 while she was shopping at a popular mall, The daily tar jump reported last year.
Robinson, a student at the University of North Carolina, said he went to the mall with a group of friends for more than an hour.
Then, she crossed the street to finish shopping at a nearby store.
Signs throughout the mall say, “If you leave this property, you may be subject to towing.”
Her vehicle was towed shortly after she crossed the street.
“They would have to call [the towing company] immediately when we crossed the street to tow it at that time,” she told the publication at the time.
She said it took several hours to recover the car.
According to complaints filed with the state, drivers reported paying up to $300 to get their cars back.
Some drivers said they had to pay an additional $150 to use their credit cards for transactions.
They also reported increased fees if the vehicle is on the lot for a short period of time.
There is no state limit on the amount towing companies can charge vehicle owners when their car is towed.
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
Chapel Hill, the city that is home to UNC’s main campus, recently tried to pass regulations on towing companies in the city.
However, the state appeals court rejected the regulations.
Tristan Routh, an attorney with Carolina Student Legal Services, said the regulations would help students avoid paying exorbitant fees if their car is towed.
“It would completely change towing and make it much harder for towing companies to tow on a whim and charge a lot of money to do it,” he said.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
