(The Center Square) – Legislation has been introduced in an effort to go after rogue towing companies in Illinois.
Illinois motorists, especially in the Chicago area, have complained about tow companies that show up at the scene of a crash and then hold cars and belongings hostage for exorbitant fees.
“Unscrupulous towers monitor police radios, hear an accident dispatch, and swoop in to prey on traumatized drivers,” said state Rep. Will Davis, D-East Hazel Crest. “Too often, my office receives a call from a panicked constituent who’s fallen victim to this exact scenario or who’s now unable to retrieve their car. It has to stop.”
The legislation would allow the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) to reform the Illinois Commercial Safety Towing Law and crack down on predatory towing practices.
“My officers conduct weekly joint details to catch irresponsible towers in the act, and our agency has raised violation fines, but we’re limited with what we can do in our enforcement efforts,” said ICC Police Chief Ruben Ramirez Jr. “Instead of fining the same bad actors again and again, the ICC needs stronger enforcement tools to stop predatory towers from being able to tow peoples’ cars in the first place.”
The Illinois Commercial Safety Towing Law imposes safety measures on towing companies that relocate damaged or disabled vehicles. In 2013, a federal court preempted several of its provisions, preventing the ICC from regulating price, route or service.
Senate Bill 2040 would limit tow locations to registered storage lots, licensed repair shops, or the motorist’s requested location, and prevent a towing company from holding personal belongings in a towed vehicle hostage.
“One critical provision would ban tow companies from holding onto personal property left behind in vehicles including prescription medications, car seats and other necessities, and this shouldn’t be a controversial change,” said the bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago.
Insurance companies testified to the ongoing issue at Chicago City Hall last year, working on new ideas from cities like Philadelphia, where they operate using what they call a “rotational tow system.”
“There has to be a towing list of people who are legitimate towing operators,” said Kevin Martin, executive director of the Illinois Insurance Association. “If you’re not on that list, you can’t be called.”
The bill has been assigned to the Senate Transportation Committee for consideration.
