If your car has been impounded there is no need to worry, there are several things you can do to recover your vehicle.
Every city has their own rules and laws when it comes to parking your vehicle, and the reason these laws are in place is to reduce the amount of traffic problems when drivers park in unnecessary areas, prevent cars from parking in reserved areas, or if a person decides to park in a paid area.
The city wants to prevent any blockage of other vehicles, and prevent a clutter of vehicles in residential roads where it then becomes difficult for other drivers to pass by. If a driver decides to park in front of a fire hydrant or a driveway, these need to be impounded due to the negligence of the driver who is making it difficult for a fire truck or a person entering his driveway.
Now you might not always be impounded if your vehicle is parked incorrectly. Sometimes you will receive a warning letter stuck on your windshield or even a ticket which provides a warning if you decide to park there again. A lot of times you will see signs on light posts about the parking rules, and if you decide not to follow them you run the risk of someone seeing your vehicle and calling a tow truck to impound it.
Now before we get into the details of getting your car out of impound, let’s look at the different types of impounds. There’s impounds which are done through the city/public and impounds done through a private company. Private companies can sometimes charge more but overall the process for claiming your vehicle will be the same.
Now before we begin, if you would like to learn more about towing policies and rules blueangelstowing.com has useful information on this.
Where Did My Car Go?
Knowing your car has been towed is the worst feeling because of the fear of whether your car has been stolen or impounded. The first thing to do in this panic situation is to find if your car has been impounded first. If your car has been stopped by police and impounded, the police officer will give you instructions for retrieving your vehicle.
Now if you believe your car has been towed because you read the parking sign incorrectly and realized after that you needed a permit, you will need to look at the parking rules sign and see if there’s a phone # you can contact to get your car back.
Public Impound: If you struggle to find a number you can call the non-emergency police number in the city you are in and report that your car may have been towed which they can then look it up on record.
Private Impound: Now if its private company you will need to search for a phone #, or visit Google Maps to search for impound towing companies and contact the nearest ones directly.
If your car has been impounded in the night time outside of working hours be prepared to call them first thing in the morning. A lot of impound towing companies charge a premium to have your car star overnight causing you to pay more in the end.
Every private towing company will charge you differently, where some will charge based on how long it takes them to drive back to their location especially during rush hour, some will charge you based on the size of the vehicle, and many will charge you for the amount of hours your car is left on their property.
It may seem unfair but this is the reality of the situation.
Retrieving your Vehicle
Once you have ensured your car has actually been towed, visit the physical office location and provide them your drivers license and license plate number. You should have asked them prior to visiting the location if they required any further documentation, this way you are not wasting anyone’s time and not having to revisit the location.
Be prepared during these times especially if the towing company is responsible for impounding all the vehicles in the city, that there will be a long line up of people. Sometimes you will have to wait a few hours to retrieve your vehicle which is why visiting the location as soon as they open is crucial to saving time and money.
Once its your turn in line, be prepared to pay any outstanding parking tickets as you will need to pay this off before retrieving your vehicle. If not, you will just need to pay the towing fee and all the fees associated with them towing your vehicle.
Sometimes you will need to fill out paperwork to release your car and to confirm all payments have been made, in order to receive your copy as well.
When you go to pick up your vehicle you will need to first check and see that there was no damage done. If there’s damage done to your vehicle as a result of it being impounded you can contact your car insurance company under collision insurance if you have this covered.
You can argue with the towing company that your vehicle was improperly towed and that they damaged your vehicle severely, and if you feel this is the case you can contact a collision lawyer, police if it’s illegal activity, or your insurance company to see how they can help you.
FAQ Summary
What if my car is impounded and my license has been suspended?
If your car has been impounded because you have been pulled over for speeding, have a suspended license and committed a criminal activity, this will cause your car to be impounded where you will be responsible for these payments.
How do I know if I have been impounded by a private or public company?
The best way to know if you have been impounded by a private or public towing company that is a part of the city is by looking at where your car was parked. If your car was parked in a plaza, paid parking area or
What do I do if a car is scratched after being towed?
You will need to first ensure that you have collision insurance under your car insurance. Call your car insurance company and let them know your situation to see if it would qualify. If it qualifies, you will need to pay the deductible and your insurance company will pay the remaining cost.
