How can you prevent being towed?

If you’ve ever returned to a parking spot to find your vehicle missing, this will be information you’ll want to have.

Sometimes mistakes are made, but for the most part, if you fall in line with your legal responsibilities, you will never have to worry about being towed.

How Much Does Towing Cost?

The main reason to avoid being towed is the cost involved to retrieve your vehicle. First, you have to pay the impound release fee, which could reach up to $250. Then, you also will have to pay for the tow services rendered, which may or may not be capped by local regulation.

You may have to pay a fee for storage, depending on how long your car remained in the lot. That fee can range from $10 to $100 a day. Overall, you may be out $1,000 or more when you are towed unexpectedly.

Besides the high costs involved, the convenience factor also plays a role. You don’t want to be without your car — it can seriously disrupt your professional and personal life.

Here are five ways to prevent being towed and avoid all of the frustration:

1. Pay All Parking Tickets and Fines

This might be one of the most obvious suggestions, but it’s also the most effective. You should always pay all tickets and fines, because local municipalities keep records of all violations. When they see that you have more than a few unpaid fines, parking officials may not hesitate to tow your car immediately, even if you were not in violation of any parking rules at the time.

Call the local parking authorities to find out what you owe. If you believe you have already paid a ticket that is still on your record, bring proof of payment to the office and clear up any misunderstandings.

2. Observe Weather-Related Parking Restrictions

An otherwise valid parking space may become restricted when a winter storm is in the forecast. Pay attention to local announcements regarding parking rule changes during the winter months and you can prevent being towed due to a weather emergency.

3. Know Your Street-Cleaning Schedule

If you live or work in the city, you’ve inevitably had to deal with street cleaning machines. When it’s time for street cleaning, all vehicles must move, or else they will be towed to clear a path. Mark reminders on your calendar for when you must move your car for this and stay on top of any changes, which can occur often.

4. Stay Away from Restricted Parking Areas

It might seem elementary, but never park on a sidewalk, in a bus zone or handicapped space, or blocking a driveway or fire hydrant. You also can get towed for parking in a taxi-designated space or on a crosswalk. Even if you don’t think you’ll be parked there for long, it’s not worth the risk.

5. Be Present

Tow trucks are unable to hook up and tow your car if you are in it. You might believe otherwise, due to prolific reality television shows which tell a different story, but it is inaccurate.

Towing an occupied vehicle will violate the truck driver’s insurance policy. If your car breaks down, don’t abandon it without contacting the local authorities to tell them you are going to get help and service.