Follow outsmart guide on how to avoid having your vehicle being towed:
DON’T PARK ANYWHERE ILLEGAL: It sound obvious and it is. But many of us unknowingly park our vehicles where we shouldn’t. “It’s only for 5 minutes,” we declare in full acknowledgment of our error, “What’s the worst that could happen?” Such hubris! The worst is a hefty towing retrieval fee, sometimes in upwards of $300 and the hassle of getting it released from the pound. It costs much less to pay for parking in an authorized spot. Just sayin’!
GET REGULAR SERVICING AND CAR MAINTENANCE: If you are religious with your car maintenance regimen and park in authorized places at allowed times, you can avoid getting towed. You need to be aware of your car’s health level. Only a trained mechanic can see to your vehicle in a way that optimizes its safety levels and makes sure that it is less likely to break down randomly at an inconvenient time in San Jose, at 2am in December rain.
ALWAYS CARRY A SPARE WHEEL AND ESSENTIAL CAR TOOLKIT: Make sure the necessary apparatus to deal with a break down if it occurs. This is a great way to prevent towing; if you can deal with it, you should. Make sure you have a spare tire on board, plus the tools to make the change: jack, wrench, screwdriver – you know the drill.
TRY NOT TO VEER TOO FAR AWAY IF YOU ARE LOW ON GAS: Don’t decide to take a drive to Montecito on a quarter tank of gas. Know where you are going and make sure you have enough gas to get you there and back safely, which the aid of a “car taxi” aka a tow truck! If in doubt, go to the nearest service station and fill up, just in case. No one ever got towed for being cautious!
