KANSAS CITY, Mo, – The city’s tow services division is warning drivers about predatory tow truck companies. It’s a FOX 4 follow-up to a story we brought you last year.
Nathan Pare’ with the city’s tow services division said he’s concerned police are not enforcing the laws that ban tow trucks from soliciting at scenes hard enough.
FOX 4 obtained numbers from police that show how many citations they have issued over the past several years. It shows police have issued less situations every year since 2012.
Pare’ said he is constantly hearing from people who are taken advantage of by the tow truck companies that are breaking the law. He said the tow truck drivers listen to police scanners and rush to the scenes of accidents to offer their services, often times hiking up tow prices by hundreds of dollars.
He said you should always ask police to call you a city tow. He said the city only uses companies that are properly insured and said they use a flat price rate.
“Do you have insurance? Can you give me a written quote?,” Pare’ said those are the questions you should be asking a tow truck driver.
He said some of the tow truck companies that are breaking the law are charging people more than a thousand dollars for a tow away.
“I am getting single moms with two kids, I am getting elderly people, I am getting people that are on a fixed income, wondering what am I supposed to do?,” Pare’ told FOX 4.
The city recommends always calling your own tow truck at the scene of an accident. Pare’ said even if a tow truck driver shows up and tries to pressure you into letting them tow your car, remember you always have the right to deny their services.