UPDATE: Lakewood Township Committee Introduces Towing Ordinance

At Thursday’s committee meeting, the Lakewood Township Committee introduced an ordinance which, as first reported by TLS earlier this month, aims to solve several issues related to towing of vehicles involved in motor vehicle accidents.

Lakewood Police and Lakewood Township Officials told TLS the changes are badly needed, following numerous requests from medical and emergency personnel who have responded to accident scenes around the township in recent months.

“It’s gotten to a point where some companies are literally soliciting patients while they are in the ambulance being checked out by medical personnel,” first responders and police officials previously told TLS. “In addition, people are speeding to scenes in order to solicit business, putting motorists and pedestrians in danger,” officials said.”

Township officials were also requested by various towing agencies who were seeking a leveled playing field, as many towing companies will not speed to an accident scene just for the some more business.

However, also included in the legislation, is a provision allowing responding police officers to “supersede the [vehicle] owner’s desires and call a tower based on the Police towing rotation list.”

The Township Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing and second reading of the ordinance at their next meeting, on December 8th.

 

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7 COMMENTS

  1. I’m all for the first part of the legislation that would prohibit the mad dash to solicit business from people just involved in an accident, but the public must realize what the disastrous effects the second part of the legislation would have and put an end to it. It means paying exorbitant fees to those who will extort the maximum fees allowed for towing and storage.
    Many of the towing companies in town are very understanding of our needs if we need to pay out of pocket, and they charge reasonable rates in these instances. The same cannot be said of the companies who are on police rotation.

    I had a personal experience with this a few years ago when an officer wrongly called the towing company often on call, even though I told them I’m calling my own and they agreed to wait for the company I called to arrive. They both arrived at the same time, but the officers forced us to use the police towing. This tow from 5th and Madison to a towing company notorious for overcharging located around 4 min away, cost us over $300 out of pocket iirc.

    We must not allow this. There isn’t a single resident in this town who would benefit from this, aside from the owners of the towing companies on police rotation.

  2. We’re trading in one problem for another. The township should put towing from accident scenes out for a bid and go with the lowest bidder. The township would then be charged the set price each time a tow is needed and bill the vehicle owner for reimbursement plus a SMALL service fee.

  3. Everyone on tow should follow the same rules and what the township ordinances fees say. The rates have not changed since 2007. So if someone is over charging ask them for the town ordinances. Cheapest town around. Get into an accident out of town and see your tow bill 500 plus for one day.

    Seen many times at accidents people showing up chasing the customers some even go as far trying to go in ambulance asking for keys.

Comments are closed.