A Pennsylvania state representative is drafting legislation to protect people from paying inflated towing bills.
State representative Dom Costa is working on two bills right that would require tow companies in Pittsburgh to set fair pricing standards.
“You've got to protect people from these people gouging them and I'm going to do that and we're going to do that at the state level,” Costa said.
Erin Dixon, who works for a Pittsburgh car dealership, said his company has been paying outrageously expensive tow bills to get their customers' cars out of tow lots.
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"I'll have a $913 tow bill, I'll have a $2,850 tow bill, a $1.200 tow bill and it happens on a daily basis,” Dixon said.
Dixon said the towing companies listen to the scanner, show up to accident scenes and tell accident victims they need to get their car off the road.
But many drivers don't know that there are no laws that regulate what those tow companies can charge to take their car and store it.
Dixon showed Channel 11 a bill where a car was towed just one block.
"Towed the car one block. One block. And charged? $2,840,” Dixon said.
Costa hopes to finalize and introduce the legislation this fall. Until then, Dixon wants drivers to be aware.
“You have a right not to let these people take your car because this is what you face once they take your car,” Dixon said.
One tow truck company Dixon has been battling with is set to go to court in two weeks. The owner is charged with fraud and deceptive business practices.
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