If your car breaks down on the road, you have a massive responsibility on your shoulder. Along with getting a ride for you, it is vital to tow your abandoned vehicle from a public location. It is not possible to leave your old RV, truck or car on the street.
An abandoned vehicle can book your precious parking space. Moreover, it becomes an eyesore in crowded areas. If your abandoned vehicle is parked in front of your apartment or house, it can make your life difficult. It will not only become an eyesore but a violation of the law.
A trailer, semitrailer, or motor vehicle will be abandoned if it is parked, stored or left on a public space for over 48 hours or on private property for over 30 days. You can check the laws of your state about this vehicle before doing anything. To keep yourself safe, it will be useful to contact a local police department.
For your abandoned car, you can use tow services or junk my car options. Here are seven tips to remove your abandoned vehicle.
1. Towing Services
Accidents or car breakdowns may happen anytime. For this reason, towing services are available to remove an abandoned vehicle. Make sure to save the contact number of 24-hour towing services on your phone.
Emergency towing services can come to your rescue quickly. They work as approved suppliers of several insurance companies. If you have roadside assistance from a vehicle insurance company, check out if a towing service can bill the company directly.
2. Junk a Vehicle
You can sell your junk vehicles to earn money. If repairs of your car are becoming expensive, it is suitable to junk this beast. There is no need to put this beast in your storage. After selling a junk car, you can decrease your expenses and get some extra cash in your pocket.
Check out local services around to junk a vehicle. In this way, you can avoid the repair and insurance expenses of your old vehicle. Moreover, you can avoid penalties from law enforcement departments for covering a public or a private road.
3. Unknown Vehicle on Your Property
If you have an unknown vehicle on your property, you should call the police or state department of vehicles. Call the highway department of your state to remove this abandoned vehicle. They may not tow your vehicle, but you have to stay connected with these sources.
Contact a removal service in your area and see if they are ready to remove this vehicle. Feel free to search for abandoned vehicles or services to remove vehicles along with a zip code. In numerous cases, local and state agencies can help you to remove the car.
4. Automobile on Your Property
Before removing a vehicle, you have to search for the laws of your state. If your state allows, obtain identification number of the vehicle and license number. Share this information to the motor vehicle department and learn about possible rights. Obtain contact information of the owner, if allowed.
You have to mail one certified letter along with a DMV form to the vehicle’s owner. After sending the form, it is essential to wait because the owner can claim a vehicle. If owners don’t claim this vehicle with a particular period, you can post your intention for auction of a car. Check the laws of your state before starting this process
5. Inquire in Your Neighborhood
After understanding the regulations, you have to see if this vehicle belongs to a person in your neighborhood. If this vehicle is taking up your precious parking spot, ask the owner of this vehicle to remove it. Feel free to give a copy of rules to your neighbor so that he/she can understand you.
In numerous cases, your neighbor may not know local rules about this issue. After understanding laws, he/she will not leave his/her vehicle on the road. Remember, a person can park his/her car on a street if laws of the state allow it.
6. Determine Condition of the Vehicle
If your nearby business landlords or neighbors don’t know about the owner of a vehicle, you can assume it is abandoned. Evaluate the condition of the vehicle because it may be in bad shape. Sometimes, significant parts, including license plates, doors or engines, are missing.
These things indicate that a vehicle is not working. In this situation, you are allowed to contact law enforcement of your area through a non-emergency number.
7. Call Sherriff or Police
If you can contact law enforcement officers for an abandoned vehicle, it will work in your favor. They may tow your vehicle away that is covering up your parking space. Before reporting abandoned vehicles, you have to check their model and make. It is essential to mention these things in your report.
You have to note down the number of the license plates and share the exact location of the car. Moreover, you will check if this vehicle is stolen. Police departments often put warning tags on vehicles and give some time to owners to move their vehicles.
This duration may vary, such as 24 hours. If a vehicle is not moved within this limit, the city can dispose of or impound this vehicle. Some states, including California, allow you to move a car to almost one mile. Now you are allowed to park the vehicle in a similar spot for nearly 72 hours.
Vehicle of a Tenant
In several cases, departing tenants leave their inoperable vehicles in a garage or parking lot. You have to check the laws of your state to understand a relation between tenant and landlord. Sometimes, you can send a written notice to tenants to deal with their abandoned property.
These rules may not apply to vehicles. If an occupant leaves a vehicle or car behind, call your local police and share this information with them. You have to report an abandoned vehicle. The police may arrange a tow service for this vehicle after defining that it is abandoned.