Sometimes getting your car towed can be a huge sigh of relief for many drivers. But it can be a hectic experience sometimes. In times like that, you might ask yourself “can my car be towed without warning”?

Waiting on the side of the road with a tucked car can be nerve-wracking. During such times, when you see a tow company heading your way to tow your car can put you at ease knowing that you’re in safer hands. However, sometimes you can get your vehicle towed for many different reasons like driving under the influence or parking in a no-parking zone and more. At this point, you may be wondering, can my car be towed without warning? The answer is not so simple, so read on to find out more.

Can my car be towed without warning?

This question “Can my car be towed without warning?” is a question that doesn’t have a straightforward answer. If you’ve left your car on the highway to get gas from the nearby gas station, you might come back to a sticker on your windshield requiring you to move your vehicle within 24 hours. However, there can be a situation whereby your car is towed without any warning. So, if you’re wondering “can my car be towed without warning?”, it depends.

Let’s look at certain circumstances that might warrant a tow especially towing without warning.

Parking related

You’re driving around town and can’t find a parking spot, so what do you do? Many of us end up parking in the nearby street, next to a private home. This can be a troubling situation if you’ve parked on a curb next to somebody’s house without asking for their permission. If you haven’t asked for permission or have not informed them that your car will be parked on their curbside, the home-owners might end up calling the police or a towing company to tow your vehicle away.

You can however park a vehicle in a non-residential area illegally and get a notice that would require you to move the vehicle away within 24 hours. This can be enough time for someone to get their things and leave. A notice during these times can be a sigh of relief but parking illegally in residential zones will warrant an immediate tow.

What if I park my vehicle in the middle of the road, can my car be towed without warning? That is a good situation to analyze actually.

If you’ve parked the car on the roadside and left it empty while you went out to either get a mechanic or bring some gas back over, you might come back to a car with a warning. The warning gives the vehicle owner 24 hours to move the vehicle from the parking spot. However, if your vehicle is parked in a spot that could cause danger or trouble to other drivers, then expect your vehicle to be gone by the time you get there. Police will call in a tow truck to have it immediately removed.

Being pulled over

Usually, when a driver gets pulled over, they get a ticket in most cases. You might be overspeeding or didn’t follow the traffic rules, either case you most probably won’t get your car towed. However, if you’re caught driving under influence, then it is the duty of the officer to not let you in the car. DUI can be dangerous to the driver and those around them. Hence, you will get your vehicle towed without any warnings. This can also include license issues or driving with a suspended license.

Stacks of parking tickets

Parking tickets are the most common fines in the USA as many are in a hurry and end up parking either in a no parking zone or park their vehicles wrong. We believe that the chances of getting parking tickets in one’s life are pretty high and perhaps you might also have one in your drawers.

So, can your vehicle be towed without warning if you have a parking ticket? This depends on state laws. In some counties, no matter how many tickets you accumulate, your vehicle cannot be towed away. However, there are some states that tow your vehicle if you have too many parking tickets especially if they’re unpaid.

What to do if your vehicle is towed?

If your vehicle is towed, you need to go and pick it up from the nearest impound. Usually, that is a place where your vehicle might be taken and kept until you go and ask for it. You will be required to pay certain charges like impound fees, storage charges, and more. Do note that if you have too many parking tickets, you may not be allowed to renew your license until those tickets are cleared.