Towing Laws in the USA that you Need to Know

If you are planning to tow your car, it’s essential that you know the laws. Towing laws are confusing; there is no denying it. There are different rules and regulations in every state.

There is no nationwide law regarding the legalities of towing a car or any vehicle for that matter. However, there are federal guidelines and regulations in place that affect how states govern their rules.

So, where do these particular laws come into play? Well, it has everything to do with road use. Each roadway will have different policies depending on what type of street you’re driving on. So don’t get caught out! Make sure you know which areas fall under the jurisdiction of local laws.

Towing Laws for the US:

1. There are laws stating what time of day you can tow someone’s car and where you can take it if need be. If your vehicle was towed without any notice at all, this is considered to be a law violation. There is no excuse to make up for why they did it wrongfully. 
2. A driver cannot legally touch your car without your consent unless they are protecting themselves, you, another person, their property, or someone else’s property.
3. If you are transporting hazardous materials, whether it is chemicals or otherwise, special rules need to be followed. Otherwise, the vehicle could get impounded by authorities until compliance has been reached. This also goes for loads exceeding specific dimensions like height (reach) and weight (payload).
4. In some states, such as Florida, you cannot attach anything outside of your vehicle while it is in motion. If the crane breaks loose or something else happens, this could lead to an accident on the road that would be completely avoidable if following local laws.
5. When hooking up a car for transport, you cannot use any device that can scratch paint or cause damage at all, which means no metal hooks and chains either. Even though they may seem like old-fashioned equipment now, using them should result in fines even if done so unintentionally.
6. You can’t tow cars or haul cargo in any way if your license has been suspended, revoked, denied, or withdrawn by the state government agency that gives these types of documents to busy motorists.
7. There are also rules regarding how many hours someone must be off duty before being allowed behind their steering wheel again. The driver should go on a break after working with wreckers all day long. It is risky to have them behind the wheel too frequently without taking some time off.
8. You can’t tow a car if you don’t have insurance for wreckers or the truck pulling it along on its journey to wherever it needs to go. Some jurisdictions also require specific coverages depending on how many cars are being hauled at once and whether they are considered hazardous materials during transport.
9. If authorities have impounded your vehicle, some states say that you must pay fees associated with the cost of housing the automobile before you get access to reclaiming what is rightfully yours.

There aren’t many places throughout America that allow just about anyone to tow cars with wreckers or flatbeds attached. Be sure you know your state’s laws before performing this essential service for motorists in distress.