Best: New MexicoNew Mexico also has some excellent protections for consumers, ranging from a maximum towing and storage rate (maximum $100 for the first mile of towing, and up to $20 per day for storage) to required photos of the offending vehicle before towing. Title 18 mandates that tow companies can only remove vehicles via trespass tows with written permission from the property owner or lessee. Towing services also have to take a photo of the vehicle to show the violation and the signage declaring the area a tow zone.New Mexico also has laws that prohibit property owners from benefiting financially from tows performed on their property, which hopefully deters that illegal activity. As far as notice goes, if your vehicle is towed and the plates are registered in New Mexico, the towing service has three days to figure out who the owner is and notify them. If you're from out of state, they're required to contact the appropriate agency in your state to get your contact information.If a towing company illegally removes your vehicle and fails to notify you, you might be eligible for reimbursement, and you'll definitely be able to ask for money if your vehicle is damaged. Finally, towing companies in New Mexico are prohibited from patrolling for illegally parked cars, giving consumers a bit more protection when it comes to parking.Worst: IowaWhen it comes to consumer protections, Iowa has some of the worst — or, more accurately, a lack of them entirely. While Iowa's Transportation Code does not appear to include a specific section on towing requirements, PIRG states that it provides only two protections for drivers: the right to be notified when a vehicle is towed and the right to reimbursement if it's towed illegally.According to PIRG, there are no protections in place for capping towing and storage rates in Iowa, nor are there laws governing the publicization of storage rates or tow-away signs. In theory, if you park somewhere you shouldn't in Iowa, you could be towed even if there is no sign stating it's a tow-away zone. You may receive a notification from the tow service, but you would not have designated hours to retrieve your vehicle and wouldn't be guaranteed access to your car to get personal items.Towing companies also aren't required to provide an itemized bill, so your guess is as good as ours when it comes to how much towing and impound could cost in the state of Iowa. You may also be out of luck if you stumble upon your vehicle being towed, as there's no statute requiring that a tow service release your vehicle, for a fee or otherwise.Worst: North CarolinaFew protections exist against predatory towing practices in North Carolina, according to the laws on the books. Chapter 20 of the North Carolina General Statutes stipulates that if a tow service removes a vehicle, it must notify the owner. There must also be signs indicating that the area is a tow-away zone. However, if an area has tow-away signage, then the tow service is not required to notify the vehicle owner, according to statute 20-219.20. Sadly, that's the end of protections for consumers, unless a tow company intentionally damages your car or illegally tows it on purpose.North Carolina doesn't appear to have any limits on how much tow service companies can charge for towing or storage, and the state doesn't dictate that companies must display their rates or provide itemized bills to consumers. Tow services in North Carolina could also patrol private property for illegally parked cars, given that there's no law against it.Drivers in North Carolina also have no specific protection when it comes to retrieving their vehicle during business hours or getting personal items out of an impounded vehicle. If you live or drive in North Carolina, it pays to understand the local and state laws and watch where you park!Worst: VermontVermont might not seem like a lawless place, but when it comes to towing protections, that might be the best way to describe it. A report to the Vermont Legislature on towing practices described the lack of protections for consumers, highlighting that tow operators set their own rates and storage fees, and that no law governs whether or how consumers can access belongings while vehicles are in storage.Consumer watchdog PIRG notes that towing companies are required to notify drivers in Vermont when their vehicles are towed, but the only other protection is a maximum towing rate for public property, which is $40. The Vermont Legislature report also told the tale of one driver who, while passing through the state, was held at Customs for a matter of hours. After being released, the man had to pay nearly $1,000 to get his vehicle out of impoundment, despite the fact that the car was only held for a few hours (not overnight) and was not in a secure storage facility.Fortunately, the report to Vermont's legislation argued in favor of setting limits and consumer protections, so it's possible that changes are in the state's future. Until the laws change, be very careful of parking and driving in Vermont, even where there are no tow-away signs.
