Towing, or moving a car away with
the help of towing vehicles might be necessary for a lot of reasons. Parking is
the wrong place might lead to the car being towed away by the police. Breaking
down of vehicles due to a flat tire, dead battery, stuck in a ditch, or out of
fuel, all these circumstances require towing of the vehicle. Towing requires
experience, expertise, and proficiency.
Towing is a complex and an
expensive affair and there are companies that help you with the towing process.
Towing companies work alongside the local police and traffic officers.
Here are a few things we need to
know about Towing Companies:
·
Types
of Towing: Most towing companies offer 3 types of Towing Services. Light Duty
towing is for small vehicles such as SUVs, motorcycles, pickup trucks, and
vans. Medium Duty towing is mainly for buses, RVs, dual wheel pick-up trucks,
large vans etc. Heavy Duty towing assists semi-trucks, tractor trailers, big
busses, RV's etc. Hence, the towing depends on the size and in turn the weight
of the vehicle being towed.
·
Fees:
If your vehicle has been towed by the police, you need to pay a fine to get
your car back. However, in other cases, each towing company has a fee that
depends on the size of the vehicle and the distance it needs to be towed to. A
certain amount of money is charged every kilometer and hence, towing services
should be hired only in cases of emergency.
·
Towing
Rights: Each country has their own towing rights, especially when it is
being towed by the police.
o
The driver needs to check whether the towing
company is an accredited contractor of the MMDA or the LGU of the operating
area.
o Immediate payment of money to prevent the car
from getting towed is illegal and the traffic officer or the towing company
should never do such a thing.
o The car needs to be collected at the impounding
lot and not at other places.
o If the vehicle is “attended illegally parked
vehicle”, a TVR (traffic violation receipt) should be issued.
o The driver has to be informed as and when his
vehicle is being towed by the officers.
o The driver has the right to know whether the
towing company is legitimate and accredited.
o When a car is being towed, there are chances of
damages being inflicted to the car due to the carelessness of the towing
company. The driver can ask the towing company for compensation of the damaged
caused by improper handling and towing. If the towing company refuses to pay,
they can take further legal action against the Towing Company.
Emergency towing is usually done
in cases of problems associated with the vehicle. This is completely in between
the driver and the towing company and the police aren't involved. Getting a
vehicle towed is expensive as the driver needs to pay a lot of money based on
the type of vehicle being towed.
Non-emergency towing involves
moving the vehicle to the impounding lot by traffic officers or the Towing Company working in
association with the traffic. The driver has to pay a fine to the traffic
officers in order to get their vehicle back. Illegal parking is a major reason
for such a towing, but there are also chances of foul play and the driver needs
to be aware of his rights as the owner of the vehicle.
Towing companies need to make
sure that the car is handled properly and no damage is done to the vehicle.
Towing companies also need to be legally registered in order to tow a vehicle.
0 comments :
Post a Comment