Towing companies like those providing towing services in Centreville, Illinois, and their tow truck drivers are very helpful in aiding stranded motorists and clearing the road of broken vehicles. But a problem has arisen recently in the form of predatory towing because of the absence of Federal and State laws which enabled the ranks of the industry to be penetrated by corrupt drivers who are doing this bad practice. One of the worst examples of predatory towing is called “patrol” or “satellite” towing wherein a certain tow truck driver, upon a tip given by a spotter, tows away an illegally parked car in a private area, like the no parking area of a department store. When this happens to us, we need to pay the towing, storage, and other associated charges to claim our car. Fortunately, we have rights as consumers to protect ourselves from predatory towing like the following:
Observance of the one-hour rule
It is required that our vehicle must be parked for a minimum of one hour before it can be towed away except if it is blocking partially or fully at any entrance or exit, is about 15 feet from a fire hydrant, or is parked on a fire lane.
Unconditional release
When we experience towing problems like seeing our car being towed away but is still on a private road, we can demand the unconditional release of our vehicle right away. It is not required by law that we as owners give a driver’s license.
Observance of the ten-mile limit
It is forbidden for a tower to take our vehicles to a storage area whose distance is more than ten miles from where it was parked. Towing companies observe this rule including those providing medium duty vehicle towing in Illinois.
Legitimate towing permit
The tower needs to have a legal motor carrier authorization, should record and take pictures of every tow available intended for law enforcement, and should not share revenue gotten from towing with the owners of properties who call for vehicles to be towed away. This is applicable to all types of towing such as the heavy duty vehicle towing in Illinois.
At Patterson Towing LLC, we guarantee that you will receive the best towing services because we consider you and your vehicle our utmost priority. We are duly licensed and have passed all the legal requirements. To know more about towing in Centreville, Illinois, feel free to contact us.
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