HUNDREDS of cars have been towed or booted as a city attempts to recuperate millions of dollars in delinquent fines.
Over 800 cars in Washington DC have been penalized after drivers let their parking fines and driving citations go unpaid.
The city’s Department of Public Works has put parking boots on 777 vehicles in the past month, according to local Fox affiliate WTTG.
The cars racked up over $1.5 million in unpaid fines.
Another 69 vehicles with $604,404 in unpaid tickets have been towed from city streets.
City officials said the unpaid tickets have made the streets less safe.
They pointed to several violent crashes in the city where drivers with exorbitant amounts of unpaid fines were found at fault.
“A lot of people who drive in the city, they’re not paying the speeding tickets,” Johnny Gaither, a representative for the city’s Parking Enforcement Department told the station.
“They’re not paying the red light tickets, they’re not paying those type of tickets and those really safety sensitive issues and part of the mayor’s zero one vision is to get those people off our streets.”
City officials are also about to open a new impound facility capable of storing over 300 cars.
The city said it would continue to seek out drivers with years-old overdue tickets.
Officials said they are targeting drivers who have incurred more than $3,000 in overdue fees.
The city has adopted a Vision Zero program that aims to end traffic violence on the streets.
The program’s director, Charlie Willson, recently told WTOPnews that new technology mounted over the streets has helped officials track down the overdue bills.
“License plate readers are able to read the license plate as the enforcement officer is going by and that tells them the person’s status,” Wilson said.
“So based on that then they are traveling with a tow truck that can then immediately tow that vehicle.”
What to do if your car is towed
Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is towed:
- Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted “No Parking” sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.
If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:
- Be prompt – many states have a small window of time where it’s acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state.
- Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases.
- Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm
Washington is one of several cities fighting back after drivers racked up millions in parking tickets.
Dozens of drivers in San Francisco have racked up thousands of dollars – the city estimates its owed $1.6 billion.
A resident owes over $33,000 in fines.
New York City is also grappling with fine payments.
Drivers in the city owe $1 billion in unpaid parking tickets, according to Axios.