'It was awful,' fumes driver who had to be driven to the countryside and paid $100s for towed car as state cracks down | 2YJY87S | 2024-04-23 12:08:01
A NEW bill may strengthen car towing laws in a U.S. city where drivers have shared how the update would be life-changing.
The new bill that's on the table for a city in Delaware will mean a crackdown on towing companies, enforcing stricter regulations.
A number of drivers in the community, and nationwide, have experienced the panicked feeling of expecting to find a car to be parked somewhere they left it and it's not anywhere to be found.
"I parked on one side and went to the store on the other side. Came out and my car was gone," Shawn Godlang of Dover, Delaware told local news network WBOC-TV.
"I had to be driven out to the countryside to the tow place and pay a couple hundred dollars to get it back, and it was awful."
If the bill is passed, it will relieve local drivers of some of the stress that comes with the process of getting a towed vehicle back.
The bill mandates that towing companies have to accept credit cards.
It would also allow car owners to reclaim personal belongings from their towed automobiles at no added cost.
"Sometimes people leave important stuff in their car," local driver Eric DeGirolomo noted.
"They should have the right to collect their belongings."
While drivers in the community appreciate the changes in the proposed towing regulations, tow truck drivers aren't happy about a part of the legislature regarding the cost of storing towed cars.
The legislation imposes a $500 limit on storage fees.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> "If you just cap it off at a certain price, who knows if they are going to pick up the cars," tow truck operator John Moss expressed.
"Nobody wants to keep the cars forever and ever because the lot fills up."
Though a number of drivers in the community are optimistic about the proposed towing changes, there are still some concerns.
Residents are worried about the vagueness of the requirement that towing companies follow to make "reasonable accommodations" for the retrieval of a vehicle.
<p class="article__content--intro"> Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle. </p> </div> </div> "The word 'reasonable,'" DeGirolomo started.
"I think, can kind of be manipulated."
If House Bill 351 is passed into law, enforcing the regulations will be handled by the Consumer Protection Unit of the Delaware Department of Justice.
There are more towing changes that would be made in Dover, Delaware if the bill is passed.
The bill also features a regulation requiring tow companies to take photos of unauthorized parked vehicles before hooking them up and hauling them off.
It will also see that businesses make their tow and storage rates publicly visible.
Towing companies will also have to release vehicles if the owner returns before the towing truck moves with their car.
Any corresponding fees for catching the tow truck driver before they leave with the vehicle cannot exceed 50 percent of the tow fee, according to the bill.
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