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By Kurt Valentine, Staff Writer<\/strong><\/p>\n They park along Pittsburgh\u2019s major thoroughfares waiting for an accident.\u00a0 Once they get word of an accident, they race to the scene. The winner of the race gets to tow the car.\u00a0 They are called \u201cchasers\u201d.<\/p>\n In 2009, Big Dawg\u2019s Towing, a Pittsburgh towing company, posted multiple YouTube videos showing one of their drivers racing to accident scenes around Pittsburgh.[1]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 The videos show the driver completely disregarding traffic laws and the safety of other motorists.\u00a0 One video titled \u201cChasing a wreck\u201d shows the driver crossing a double yellow line on a two-lane road to pass two vehicles, splitting two lanes of traffic to run a red light, and running numerous stop signs.<\/p>\n In addition to endangering other motorists by racing to accident scenes, once the \u201cchasers\u201d get on scene, they \u201ctry to convince the traumatize[d] accident victim to turn over their car,\u201d although, in many cases they will tow the vehicle \u201cwithout the [owner\u2019s] permission.\u201d[2]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0\u00a0The chasers then charge the owner exorbitant towing and storage fees.<\/p>\n In a 2015 report by CBS\u2019s Pittsburgh affiliate, KDKA, reporter Andy Sheehan talked to some of the owners victimized by chasers.[3]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 An individual he interviewed was in an accident and had three chasers show up to the scene before police and EMS arrived.\u00a0 One chaser hooked up his car before he even agreed to have his car towed.[4]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 After three days of tracking down who towed his car, \u201cit showed up at a garage\u201d with a $1,005 bill from Big Dawg\u2019s Towing.[5]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Pennsylvania state representative Dom Costa was interviewed in the report and stated, \u201cIt\u2019s time these tow truck operators become accountable. . . They\u2019re a danger to themselves and other people, and they\u2019re ripping people off and that\u2019s got to stop\u201d.[6]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n The current Pennsylvania statute, the Towing and Towing Storage Facility Standards Act, enacted in 2012, provides that tow truck drivers must be summoned to the scene of an accident by the operator or owner of the vehicle, or by law enforcement.[7]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 The owner or operator of the vehicle may summon the tow truck operator of the owner\u2019s choice and designate where the vehicle is to be towed.[8]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n If a driver is incapacitated or if the vehicle is a hazard, impedes the flow of traffic, or may not legally remain in its location in the opinion of law enforcement, then law enforcement can decide who tows the vehicle.[9]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 In addition, the tow truck operator cannot secure the signature of the vehicle owner that requires authorization to repair the vehicle or a signature that authorizes storage of the vehicle for more than 24 hours at the scene of the accident.[10]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Five years after the statute was enacted, it is not enforced.<\/p>\n As a student who has been commuting into downtown Pittsburgh on daily basis for the past two years, I see these chasers parked in the same places every day.\u00a0 On numerous occasions, I witnessed them driving aggressively; that is not uncommon.\u00a0 But two incidents stand out and highlight the need for enforced legislation in this area.<\/p>\n The first incident occurred during morning rush hour in bumper-to-bumper traffic. A tow truck operator, traveling at least 15-20-mph over the 35-mph speed limit, used a turning\/bus lane as a driving lane to bypass traffic, then swerved back into the lane of traffic before the median started.\u00a0 If someone pulled into the turning lane, the results likely would have been devastating.\u00a0 Several minutes later, when I reached the next intersection, he was already hooking up one of the crashed vehicles.<\/p>\n The second incident occurred one week after I watched another news report on chasers.\u00a0 I saw an accident driving home around 9:00pm, so there was minimal traffic.\u00a0 It was just a minor fender bender and both cars were pulled off to the side of the road.\u00a0 Although both cars looked like they were drivable, four chasers were present at the scene.\u00a0 One of the drivers, a young woman, was visibly distraught standing on the sidewalk.\u00a0 Three of the four chasers were standing by her, presumably trying to convince her to turn over her car.<\/p>\n On March 28, 2017, Representative Costa held a hearing on the issue.[11]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0Witnesses from the Pittsburgh Police and insurance industry testified in support of legislation.[12]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 Costa\u2019s bill would allow \u201cmunicipalities to establish rotation lists, where licensed and reputable operators would take turns\u201d and \u201cprohibit towers from rushing to accident scene[s].\u201d[13]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Legislation on certain towing practices is needed.\u00a0 It is evident that accident victims are unfairly gouged and motorist that share the road with racing tow trucks are endangered.\u00a0 Yet, any new legislation must be coupled with enforcement.\u00a0 Without enforcement, it is clear that the chasers will continue their current practices.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n [1]<\/a> https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/bigdawgtowing\/videos<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> http:\/\/pittsburgh.cbslocal.com\/2015\/03\/03\/kdka-investigation-gets-results-rouge-tow-truck-operations\/<\/p>\n [3]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n [4]<\/a> http:\/\/pittsburgh.cbslocal.com\/2015\/02\/24\/kdka-investigates-rogue-towing-operators-ripping-off-victims\/<\/p>\n [5]<\/a> http:\/\/pittsburgh.cbslocal.com\/2015\/02\/24\/kdka-investigates-rogue-towing-operators-ripping-off-victims\/<\/p>\n [6]<\/a> http:\/\/pittsburgh.cbslocal.com\/2015\/02\/24\/kdka-investigates-rogue-towing-operators-ripping-off-victims\/<\/p>\n [7]<\/a> 73 Pa. Stat. Ann. \u00a7 1971.3 (LexisNexis, Lexis Advance through 2017 Regular Session Acts 1-34; P.S. documents are current through 2017 Regular Session Acts 1-34)<\/p>\n [8]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n [9]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n [10]<\/a> Id.<\/em><\/p>\n [11]<\/a> http:\/\/pittsburgh.cbslocal.com\/2017\/03\/28\/legislation-hearing-aims-at-reining-in-rogue-tow-truck-operators\/<\/p>\n
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