AAA Shares Tips to Prevent Unfair Towing Practices

Know what to look out for to help protect yourself from unfair towing practices

WALNUT CREEK, CA (April 22nd, 2025) - While towing services play a key role in responding to vehicle emergencies and maintaining orderly parking, it’s important for vehicle owners to be aware of potential unfair towing practices. AAA Northern California is sharing tips and proactive steps to help drivers understand how these scenarios unfold. 

“AAA is committed to providing drivers with the information they need to navigate towing situations confidently to make informed decisions when dealing with towing situations,”  said Doug Johnson with AAA Northern California. “Having a clear understanding of the process can ensure a smooth and positive experience after a car accident.” 

How It Works

Sometimes, a tow truck may arrive at the scene of an accident quickly and mispresent themselves as an insurance-affiliated tower to have the damaged vehicle towed to a particular auto repair center.  Occasionally, issues can arise where a large payment is requested before the vehicle can be released creating a stressful situation.

What Unfair Towing Practices Can Involve 

• Enforcing parking laws or limitations without written consent from a business owner from whose parking lot the vehicle is towed.
• “Patrolling” parking lots without having been notified by any business or having contracted with a business to do so. 
• Towing a vehicle from a parking lot with no posted signs describing why, when, and by whom the tow will be executed, or sharing how a towed vehicle can be recovered.
• Refusing to allow the recovery of a vehicle at the scene of a tow for a nominal fee and instead pressuring owners to retrieve their vehicle from a storage lot, where additional fees are charged. 
• Charging beyond market rate fees for towing or retrieval of your vehicle, often accepting cash-only payment.

AAA Shares Tips On What To Look Out For

• Call your insurance company or California Highway Patrol to verify if a tow truck was dispatched after an accident. Do not sign anything until you confirm where the tower was dispatched from.
• AAA will never show up without being called first. If a tower claims to be affiliated with AAA, but you didn’t call for service, contact AAA at 1-800-400-4222 to verify that they are a preferred service provider. 
• In parking lots, look for prominent, posted warning signs that include the name and contact number for the contracted tower, as well as a storage lot address and what payments they take.
• When recovering your vehicle, the tower should provide written confirmation of the tow request from the owner or manager of the lot from where the vehicle was towed and their contact information. 
• AAA Members receive 4 service events each year, including towing. Each membership level offers increased towing mileage and benefits with membership upgrade.  
• If you don’t have AAA, fees for towing, storage, and retrieval should be in line with industry standards. Typically the out-of-pocket cost for a tow is between $150 - $250, depending on the area and tow distance. Lot storage fees also vary but can range from $20 - $40 per day.  

About AAA Northern California

AAA has a proud history of serving Members for over 100 years. AAA is on a mission to create Members for life by unleashing the innovative spirit of 5,300 employees representing 6 million Members across Northern California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska. In addition to legendary roadside assistance, AAA offers home, auto, and life insurance, travel, and home security services. Learn more at AAA.com.