Have your vehicle been towed and you are trying to learn how to find towed vehicle by VIN? Well, if this is the case and you find yourself in this situation, then you are at the right place because there will be a lot to cover on this topic where we are going to learn everything you need to know on how to find your vehicle.
- Towed Car?
- Reasons Why?
- How To Avoid Getting Towed?
- What Is VIN?
- How To Locate A Car?
- What To Do Next?
- Conclusion
- F.A.Q
Getting your car towed is something that you definitely don’t want to happen to you. Why so? Well, because retrieving the vehicle back can be really complicated, and also you will have to pay a fee to get it back from the impound lot.
So, you can lose a day or two on this type of work, and this could be tricky especially if you are too busy and have a ton of obligations to handle on a day-to-day basis. So, always trying to pay the parking fees and park correctly will reduce the chance for your car to be towed by the tow company. Not to mention the fear that the car could be stolen from you and the uncertainty until you find towed vehicle by VIN. But you shouldn’t worry because we are going to help you out.
First, we are going to learn what is a towed vehicle and the reasons why it got towed. Then we will move on and cover how to avoid these situations and also then we will cover how to find towed vehicle by VIN. Lastly, we will learn what are your next steps once you located the vehicle. So, if you want to learn more, follow along.
What Is A Towed Car
Now before we dive into more complex topics such as how to find towed vehicle by VIN or locate my car by VIN number, let’s first take a look at the basics and learn more about what is a towed car. This will be really useful for beginners who are not familiar with these terms and want to learn more about them. So, if you are one of them, this chapter will be perfect for you. Now let’s get into it.
So, what is a towed car? Well, in simple terms, a towed car is an impounded car. You simply have done an infraction and the truck has come to collect your car.
The truck that is collecting these cars is called a tow truck. This is why when a car gets collected by this truck, it is called a towed car or an impounded car. Who so?
Well, because whenever your car gets towed, it is taken to the impound lot. This is a lot where all cars that were into some illegal activities go. And basically, your car gets locked away from you.
These lots are usually located outside the town. But for more information about the impound lots in your town you can use the browser and browse the phrase “impound lots + your town”. There you will get the most accurate information about where your car could be.
Also, you can use the option of find towed vehicle by VIN on the towed vehicle locator website. But more on that, we are going to elaborate later on in the article. The important thing for you right now is to learn more about the reasons why a car could get towed. And more on that we are going to elaborate next.
Reasons Why A Car Can Get Towed
Now before we start discussing more about how to find towed vehicle by VIN and the impounded vehicle locator, let’s first take a look at the reasons why a person’s vehicle could get towed.
Knowing the reasons will really help you out when it comes to avoiding situations like these in the first place. So, why deal with impound lots and get the car impounded by police when you can just avoid this situation in the first place? So, let’s elaborate on the most common reasons why cars get impounded in the first place, and then we will discuss how to find towed vehicle by VIN.
Find Towed Vehicle By VIN, Reasons For Getting Towed #1: Blocking Fire Hydrant
Now before we dive into learning how to find towed vehicle by VIN, let’s take a look at the first reason why your vehicle can get towed.
And frankly, this is one of the silliest reasons why people’s cars get towed away. And this is because they park next to a fire hydrant.
Parking next to a fire hydrant is not allowed. And even if you do park like this and a fire erupts, the firemen will smash your windows in order to put the fire hose to the hydrant.
Also, if someone notices that your vehicle is parked next to a hydrant, they might report you and the tow company will tow the car away to the impound lot. Then you will have to learn how to find towed vehicle by VIN and then pay a hefty fee in order to get your car out of the lot. So, be really aware of this situation.
Find Towed Vehicle By VIN, Reasons For Getting Towed #2: Parking In A Tow Zone
The second most common reason why your car could get towed and you looking for ways to find towed vehicle by VIN is because of parking in a “tow zone”.
So, what is a tow zone? Well, a tow zone in simple terms is a zone where parking is heavily prohibited.
So, whenever someone parks in a tow zone, if there is a tow truck near, they will pick this car up, and then they’ll take this car to the tow yard.
So, before you decide to park somewhere. It is of utmost priority to check if there is a sign nearby that indicates that this is a special zone where parking will make your car get towed. A lot of beginners or people who have never been in the area are doing this mistake. And their car gets towed and they start looking for how to find towed vehicle by VIN. Now let’s move on to the next reason.
Find Towed Vehicle By VIN, Reasons For Getting Towed #3: Blocking Handicapped Parking
The next reason why your car can get towed is if you really disobey the rules and do something really insensitive like parking in parking places dedicated to people with disability.
And this is one of the things that are not just present in the US but also globally. People sometimes just do not care where they park. Even though there are ten empty parking spaces, they will park their car on the one intended for people with disability. Which is not good.
You need to make sure that you learn the rules and not take up parking spaces intended for people that have some kind of disability.
So, always make sure where you park your car, or else, you will be looking at how to find towed vehicle by VIN. Something which is not ideal if you are asking me. Now let’s move on to the next reason.
Find Towed Vehicle By VIN, Reasons For Getting Towed #4: Obstructing Traffic
Now let’s cover the next reason why your car could get towed and make you start looking for how to find towed vehicle by VIN. And this is the situation where you obstruct the traffic.
Let’s say that you found a parking spot but this parking spot is too small for your car to fit in. So, you decide to park your car inappropriately with a quarter of the car sticking out and obstructing the other lane.
And in this situation, your car will get towed. Obstructing traffic is not something that is tolerated. Even if you turn on your hazard lights, the car will still get towed. Hazard lights do not mean free parking wherever you turn them on. So, be really aware of this.
If you parked your car like this and now it is gone, it is really important for you to learn more about how to find towed vehicle by VIN. And this is something that we are going to learn more about in the article. Now let’s move on to the next reason why your car could get towed.
Find Towed Vehicle By VIN, Reasons For Getting Towed #5: Suspended License
Now let’s move on to the next reason why your car could get towed and make you look for how to find towed vehicle by VIN. And that is the case when you have a suspended license, expired registration, or no insurance.
If you get pulled over by the police, your car could be towed if you have a suspended license. And you could also face some time in the police station. So, why is this the case?
Well, this is the case because when you get suspension on your license. It means that you are not allowed to drive for a certain period that is decided by the court. So, you are basically breaking a court order if you decide to drive a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license.
And by doing this, you could face even more severe penalties. This is why you should respect these orders. And once you are eligible to reinstate the driver’s license. You can ask to get your DMV to reinstate your license and resume driving.
If you are doing something like this, you risk some repercussions like the car getting towed away and you looking for how to find towed vehicle by VIN. But more on that, we are going to cover in a bit. Now let’s take a look at how to avoid getting your car towed.
How To Avoid Your Car Getting Towed
Now before we start discussing more about how to find towed vehicle by VIN. Let’s first take a look at how to avoid getting towed. Let’s share some tips that will benefit you in the long run and your car will never ever end up at the impound yard.
The first thing you need to focus on when it comes to this stuff is to always make sure that you park where cars should be parked.
In 99% of the cases in the US, parking spots are clearly marked. And you should always stick to these markings and not park the car outside the marked space. Because if you do so, the car could get towed away.
Also, don’t park at an angle when you need to do parallel parking. Because if the car is not perfectly aligned with the parking spot, the car will get towed by the tow truck.
Also, don’t park on the street. In this case, you will seriously anger the police and also other people around. Because this not only is really annoying, but it is also quite dangerous. Mainly because someone could rear-end you. And in this case, your car will definitely get towed away.
In addition to this, you should never ever park in a parking place that is intended for people with disability. There is a clear sign in front of the parking lot as well as a big sign painted on the parking spot itself. So, don’t act like you didn’t notice it and park your car because it will get towed away.
And lastly, don’t park tow zone. Check the signs around you and see if there is a sign like this, if it is, then park your car elsewhere.
What Is Vehicle VIN Number
Another topic that we would like to discuss before we dive into how to find towed vehicle by VIN is learning what is a VIN number.
I bet that there are a lot of people reading this who are not into cars and want to learn more about the basics. So, let’s cover them really briefly and understand more about this number.
The VIN number in simple words is the Vehicle Identification Number. This is a 17-character long string of letters and numbers without any spacing in between. So, this is key to know because some people add spacing and when they try to find towed vehicle by VIN they fail to do so.
So, what is in the VIN? Well, in the VIN there is a lot of information. Namely, the trim level, paint scheme, factory when the car was produced as well as the year and month when the car was produced. So, this is like your social security number. But only for your car.
But how to find this number? This number is stamped on a number of places throughout the car. Namely on the front dashboard corner. On the strut towers of the car, as well as on the driver’s door pillar on modern cars.
Also, this number is stamped on your car title as well. So, whenever you plan on selling a vehicle, it is really important for you to have this car title. Which is a legal document that has your name on it as well as the VIN number. And with this document, you can sell the vehicle. So, you understand how important this number is for you as a car owner and without it would be almost impossible to find towed vehicle by VIN.
Find Towed Car By VIN
So, we learned more about the reasons why your car can get towed and also how to avoid this from happening. Then we learned about the VIN number and what this number means for you. We learned that this is really crucial information for you and that you need to learn how to find towed vehicle by VIN.
So, learn what is your VIN number from the car title or the registration papers and open up your browser.
Here comes the tricky part. There isn’t a website where you can go find your car for the whole US or the whole state where you live.
So, you really need to be precise in your search and look for the specific town where you live. For some towns, there are websites where you can enter the VIN and check if the car had been towed away or not and also where to find it.
For example, you live in New York. You should browse the phrase “find my towed car New York by VIN”. And there among the first results, you will probably have an official website for New York where you can find the vehicle.
On some websites, you can enter your license plate number, while on some websites you can enter your VIN number.
Either way, it is a really straightforward business when it comes to tracking the car, and learning how to find towed vehicle by VIN is a real breeze. So, let’s say that you found the vehicle. What are the next steps that you can take? Let’s elaborate more on that next.
What Are Your Next Steps
Now since we learned how to find towed vehicle by VIN. Let’s move on and learn what are your next steps. When it comes to locating and getting your vehicle back from the impound lot.
Knowing these steps is really important because if you don’t get your car back on time. You will get a hefty fee to the impound lot for the vehicle sitting there. So, let’s cover these steps and learn more about what you can do.
Find Towed Vehicle By VIN, Step 1: Contact The Impound Lot
The first thing you can do after learning how to find towed vehicle by VIN is to find the vehicle and contact the impound lot.
There will probably be a telephone number somewhere. If not, go directly to the place and talk to the people to learn what you will need to do in order to get your car back from the impound lot.
Remember to be nice and polite to the people working there. Politeness is key in these situations if you want to get your car back quickly.
Find Towed Vehicle By VIN, Step 2: Get The Papers Necessary
Then, once you called the impound lot and they told you what you need to do, your next step would be to do precisely that.
Collect all the essential information about the cars. Namely, the car title, registration, and insurance for the vehicle, and your driver’s license. You need to have all these documents if you want to get your car back. Because if you don’t have insurance for the vehicle, you could get fined even more.
Find Towed Vehicle By VIN, Step 3: Pay The Fee And Pick Up The Car
Once you gathered the essential information and documents, you need to go straight to the impound yard, and there you will have to fill everything up and then pay the towing fee.
Also, if the car was sitting there for a long time, your fee could pay even more money. So, it is really important that you do this process quickly in order to avoid paying a ton of money to get your car back. Once you paid the money, then you can take your car back and everyone will be happy. And remember in the future to respect the laws and not get your car towed once again.
Facts: How to Check if a Car Was Stolen or Towed
- In 2017, there were over 773,000 motor vehicles stolen in the US, resulting in a $6 billion loss.
- If a car is missing, it could have been towed, stolen, or repossessed if the owner was behind on payments.
- The first step to take when a car is missing is to look around the area where it was last parked for any “no parking” signs or indications that it shouldn’t have been parked there.
- Private companies often post signs listing the towing services they use, so it’s recommended to call them if you suspect your car has been towed.
- If there are no signs indicating a towing service was used, it’s possible the car was stolen.
- If a car was towed, the first step is to call the towing service or check with the property owner where the car was parked to obtain information on where it is being held.
- If a car was stolen, the owner should contact law enforcement immediately to report the theft and provide detailed information about the vehicle, such as the make, model, color, and VIN.
- It’s important to contact your insurance company as soon as possible after a car is stolen to file a claim and provide any requested information.
- Before purchasing a used car, it’s recommended to inspect the vehicle and run a stolen car check to avoid buying stolen goods.
- To run a stolen car check, obtain the car’s VIN number and check it against the stolen car databases maintained by the DMV and car insurance companies.
Conclusion
In this article, we covered quite a bit when it comes to the topic of your vehicle getting towed by the towing truck. First, we covered the reasons of why the car could get towed and shared some tips on how you can avoid it.
Then, we moved on and learned how to find towed vehicle by VIN. As well as what should be your next steps if you found that your car was towed.
F.A.Qs
Now let’s answer some frequently asked questions.
How To Tow A Car
You can tow a car by contacting a towing company. There are a ton of companies out there, they will come to your doorstep and tow the car to the planned destination for a certain amount of money.
Who Towed My Car
The car was probably towed by the towing truck that collects vehicles that are disrespecting traffic laws. The car is probably in some impound lot around the city.
Where Was My Car Towed
These cars are often towed to the impound lot. Also known as a car jail. This is a heavily guarded location where nobody has access. So, if you want to see your car again. You will have to get all the necessary documents and also pay the fee for your car.
How To Find Out If My Car Was Towed
You can find towed vehicle by VIN. Just go online and browse find towed vehicle by VIN + your location. You will immediately have a number of results in your browser. Enter the VIN and you will be notified if your car is in some impound lot.
How To Locate A Stolen Car By VIN
You cannot locate a stolen car by VIN unfortunately. But you can if the car was ditched somewhere and then collected by the towing truck. And the car ended up in some impound lot. Just browse how to find towed vehicle by VIN and the place where you live. Then check the local impound yards. If you still can’t find it, contact the police.