Car towing can be done on private or public property and it can also be with or without the owner’s permission. For a car to be towed, a towing truck is needed which means the services of a towing company will be employed. So, can my car be towed without warning?
Yes, your car can be towed without warning for illegal parking but if you live in a state like Colorado, a 24-hour warning will be given to you before the car gets towed.
In most places where cars are not allowed to park, signages will be put in place stating the same. If you choose to ignore to sign, your car may be towed without warning.
Can My Car Be Towed Without Warning?
Yes, your car can be towed without warning in most cases. For instance, if the car is parked in a way that impedes the flow of traffic, no one has the time to give you a warning before having it towed.
For cars that are illegally parked, there will be signs stating you shouldn’t park there which you must have missed or intentionally ignored. If this is the case, the sign is enough warning and no further warning will be given before the car is towed.
On private properties, you will probably be given the grace of 24 hours to move the car after which it will be towed. Also, depending on your state of residence, you may be given a warning before the car can be towed.
In some states, when you see a car blocking your driveway, whether the car is parked on private property or not, you will need to contact the police or nonemergency numbers before getting the car towed.
Therefore, knowing what the laws of your state of residence say will go a long way to help you make the right decisions.
What to Do If My Car is Towed Without Warning?
If your car is towed without warning and you are resident in a state like Texas, here are a couple of things that can be done:
Find Out What the State Towing Law Says
When you find out your car has been towed without permission or warning, the first thing to do is find out what the state law has to say about situations like this. Checking this out will give you an idea of what to do to recover your car.
File a Complaint
Before filing a complaint, you must be sure that your car was wrongfully towed with proof. If the tow company is found guilty, their license may be revoked by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation especially if it is a common practice for them to wrongfully tow people’s cars.
Who Can Tow My Car?
It has been established that a car can be towed with or without the owner’s permission, the question now is who can tow my car?
The person who has the right and authority to have the car towed depends on where the car is parked.
If the car is parked on private property, it is within the rights of the property owner to have your car towed. It can be towed either because the car has been parked there longer than usual or you didn’t pay before parking, this applies to parking lots that expect you to pay before parking.
On public property, the parking warden or police officers are within the right to have the car towed if it is considered illegally parked.
However, for this to happen, there are rules that the tow truck operator must follow. One such rule is that the towing authority must be completed.
The tow authority is a form that includes the tow operator’s details and that of the vehicle. Details such as the reason for the towing, the vehicle’s registration number, the tow operator’s details, etc.
For a private property owner to tow your car without warning, there must be clear signs stating who is permitted to park there, if you are to pay before parking, the length of time for which you are allowed to park, etc.
You can, however, get your towed car back without having to pay a fine. The process for this is huge but worth it.
What Can Make Your Car Be Towed
Car towing is a regular occurrence in major states but the fact is some people still do not know why their car gets towed. Therefore, we will consider some of the things that can make your car get towed;
The Car is Not in Good Driving Condition
One of the many reasons that can make your car get towed is if it is not in good driving condition. In this case, the car owner or driver will most likely be the one requesting the towing. It can also be towed without the owner’s permission if it is causing a traffic hazard.
Overheating
It is possible for a car’s engine to suddenly start overheating when driving. When this happens, it will be unwise to keep driving without looking for a way to stop it. If no temporary solution can be found, you will be left with no option but to call a towing company.
Car Runs Out of Fuel
Your car can also get towed if it runs out of fuel. For someone who has not made checking the car’s fuel gauge a habit, the car may suddenly stop on the road, and with no petrol station nearby, the only option will be to have the car towed.
Illegal Parking
There are places where you as a car owner are not permitted to park, places such as; disabled parking zones, fire exits, etc. Any car parked in such places will be considered illegally parked and will be towed.
Also, if you parked blocking someone’s driveway, your car can be towed without warning if you were not reached on time.
However, you can get your belongings inside the towed car before retrieving the car from the towing company. This is possible in case what’s inside the car is needed urgently before the car is towed.
Can Apartments Tow Your Car Without Notice?
Yes, an apartment can tow your car without notice. Usually, the apartment parking lot will have signage stating that cars are not allowed to be parked there and any car illegally parked will be towed.
Once this signage is in place, it is assumed to be enough warning to whoever has the intention of parking there. If you however decide to ignore it, your car will be towed and the apartment will be supported by the court if the case is taken there.
What are the Towing Laws in Colorado?
The towing laws in Colorado are as follows;
- Before a tow truck company can tow a car from a mobile home park, an apartment 24-hour notice must be given
- Tow truck companies have to prove that the car has indeed violated some laws through pictures which will be on the file
- If a car owner sees the tow truck driver before the car is being loaded on the truck and walks up to him, by law the car should be returned.
- Tow truck companies are prohibited from towing trucks with expired tags.
Conclusion
Depending on the state of residence, you may get a notice other than the no parking signage put in place. However, you should bear in mind that only a few states have laws that require that a car owner be notified before the car is towed.