Connecticut General Statutes 14-66 – Wreckers. Towing and transporting. Distinguishing number plates. Penalties
(a)(1) No person, firm or corporation shall engage in the business of operating a wrecker for the purpose of towing or transporting motor vehicles, including motor vehicles which are disabled, inoperative or wrecked or are being removed in accordance with the provisions of section 14-145, 14-150 or 14-307, unless such person, firm or corporation is a motor vehicle dealer or repairer licensed under the provisions of subpart (D) of this part. (2) The commissioner shall establish and publish a schedule of uniform rates and charges for the nonconsensual towing and transporting of motor vehicles and for the storage of motor vehicles which shall be just and reasonable. Upon petition of any person, firm or corporation licensed in accordance with the provisions of this section, but not more frequently than once every two years, the commissioner shall reconsider the established rates and charges and shall amend such rates and charges if the commissioner, after consideration of the factors stated in this subdivision, determines that such rates and charges are no longer just and reasonable. In establishing and amending such rates and charges, the commissioner may consider factors, including, but not limited to, the Consumer Price Index, rates set by other jurisdictions, charges for towing and transporting services provided pursuant to a contract with an automobile club or automobile association licensed under the provisions of section 14-67 and rates published in standard service manuals. The commissioner shall hold a public hearing for the purpose of obtaining additional information concerning such rates and charges. (3) With respect to the nonconsensual towing or transporting and the storage of motor vehicles, no such person, firm or corporation shall charge more than the rates and charges published by the commissioner. Any person aggrieved by any action of the commissioner under the provisions of this section may take an appeal therefrom in accordance with section 4-183, except venue for such appeal shall be in the judicial district of New Britain.
Attorney's Note
Under the Connecticut General Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class D misdemeanor | up to 30 days | up to $250 |
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 14-66
- Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
- Commissioner: includes the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and any assistant to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles who is designated and authorized by, and who is acting for, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles under a designation. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Dealer: includes any person actively engaged in buying, selling or exchanging motor vehicles or trailers who has an established place of business in this state and who may, incidental to such business, repair motor vehicles or trailers, or cause them to be repaired by persons in his or her employ. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Highway: includes any state or other public highway, road, street, avenue, alley, driveway, parkway, place or dedicated roadway for bus rapid transit service, under the control of the state or any political subdivision of the state, dedicated, appropriated or opened to public travel or other use. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Limited access highway: means a state highway so designated under the provisions of section 13b-27. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Motor vehicle: means any vehicle propelled or drawn by any nonmuscular power, except aircraft, motor boats, road rollers, baggage trucks used about railroad stations or other mass transit facilities, electric battery-operated wheel chairs when operated by persons with physical disabilities at speeds not exceeding fifteen miles per hour, golf carts operated on highways solely for the purpose of crossing from one part of the golf course to another, golf-cart-type vehicles operated on roads or highways on the grounds of state institutions by state employees, agricultural tractors, farm implements, such vehicles as run only on rails or tracks, self-propelled snow plows, snow blowers and lawn mowers, when used for the purposes for which they were designed and operated at speeds not exceeding four miles per hour, whether or not the operator rides on or walks behind such equipment, motor-driven cycles, as defined in section 14-286, special mobile equipment, as defined in section 14-165, mini-motorcycles, as defined in section 14-289j, electric bicycles, electric foot scooters and any other vehicle not suitable for operation on a highway. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Number plate: means any sign or marker furnished by the commissioner on which is displayed the registration number assigned to a motor vehicle by the commissioner. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Officer: includes any constable, state marshal, inspector of motor vehicles, state policeman or other official authorized to make arrests or to serve process, provided the officer is in uniform or displays the officer's badge of office in a conspicuous place when making an arrest. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Operator: means any person who operates a motor vehicle or who steers or directs the course of a motor vehicle being towed by another motor vehicle and includes a driver. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Owner: means any person holding title to a motor vehicle, or having the legal right to register the same, including purchasers under conditional bills of sale. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Person: includes any individual, corporation, limited liability company, association, copartnership, company, firm, business trust or other aggregation of individuals but does not include the state or any political subdivision thereof, unless the context clearly states or requires. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Registration: includes the certificate of motor vehicle registration and the number plate or plates used in connection with such registration. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- spot light: means a lighting device projecting a high intensity beam, the direction of which can be readily controlled for special or emergency lighting as distinguished from ordinary road illumination. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Vehicle: includes any device suitable for the conveyance, drawing or other transportation of persons or property, whether operated on wheels, runners, a cushion of air or by any other means. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
- Wrecker: means a vehicle which is registered, designed, equipped and used for the purposes of towing or transporting wrecked or disabled motor vehicles for compensation or for related purposes by a person, firm or corporation licensed in accordance with the provisions of subpart (D) of part III of this chapter or a vehicle contracted for the consensual towing or transporting of one or more motor vehicles to or from a place of sale, purchase, salvage or repair. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
(b) The commissioner, or an inspector authorized by the commissioner, shall examine each wrecker, including its number, equipment and identification, and shall determine the mechanical condition of such wrecker and whether or not it is properly equipped to do the work intended. A wrecker shall be deemed properly equipped if there are flashing yellow lights installed and mounted on such wrecker that (1) show in all directions at all times, and (2) are as close to the back of the cab of such wrecker as practicable. Such lights shall be in operation when such wrecker is towing a vehicle and when such wrecker is at the scene of an accident or the location of a disabled motor vehicle. In addition, each wrecker shall be equipped with a spot light mounted so that its beam of light is directed toward the hoisting equipment in the rear of such wrecker. The hoisting equipment of each wrecker shall be of sufficient capacity to perform the service intended and shall be securely mounted to the frame of such vehicle. A fire extinguisher shall be carried at all times on each wrecker which shall be in proper working condition, mounted in a permanent bracket on each wrecker and have a minimum rating of eight bc. A set of three flares in operating condition shall be carried at all times on each wrecker and shall be used between the periods of one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise when the wrecker is parked on a highway while making emergency repairs or preparing to pick up a disabled vehicle to remove it from a highway or adjoining property. No registrant or operator of any wrecker shall offer to give any gratuities or inducements of any kind to any police officer or other person in order to obtain towing business or recommendations for towing or storage of, or estimating repairs to, disabled vehicles. No licensee shall require the owner to sign a contract for the repair or storage of such owner’s damaged vehicle as part of the towing consideration or to sign an order for the repair of, or authorization for estimating repairs to such vehicle, until the tow job has been completed. No licensee shall tow a vehicle in such a negligent manner as to cause further damage to the vehicle being towed. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the licensee and owner of the damaged vehicle from entering into an agreement for the repair or storage of such vehicle upon the completion of the tow job.
(c) Each wrecker used for towing or transporting motor vehicles shall be registered as a wrecker by the commissioner for a fee of one hundred twenty-five dollars. Each such registration shall be renewed biennially according to renewal schedules established by the commissioner so as to effect staggered renewal of all such registrations. If the adoption of a staggered system results in the expiration of any registration more or less than two years from its issuance, the commissioner may charge a prorated amount for such registration fee.
(d) An owner of a wrecker may apply to the commissioner for a general distinguishing number and number plate for the purpose of displaying such number plate on a motor vehicle temporarily in the custody of such owner and being towed or transported by such owner. The commissioner shall issue such number and number plate to an owner of a wrecker (1) who has complied with the requirements of this section, and (2) whose wrecker is equipped in accordance with subsection (b) of this section. The commissioner shall charge a fee to cover the cost of issuance and renewal of such number plates.
(e) With respect to the nonconsensual towing or transporting of a motor vehicle, no licensee may tow or transport a vehicle to the premises of any person, firm or corporation engaged in the storage of vehicles for compensation unless such person, firm or corporation adheres to the storage charges published by the commissioner.
(f) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person, firm, corporation or association: (1) Towing or transporting a motor vehicle, provided such person, firm, corporation or association is licensed as a motor vehicle dealer pursuant to the provisions of subpart (D) of this part and does not offer direct towing or transporting to the public or engage in nonconsensual towing or transporting; (2) operating as an automobile club or automobile association licensed under section 14-67; (3) operating as a motor vehicle recycler licensed under section 14-67l or any contractor of such recycler, provided such recycler or its contractor does not offer towing or transporting to the public or engage in nonconsensual towing or transporting; (4) engaging in the business of repossession of motor vehicles for lending institutions, provided it does not offer direct towing or transporting unless licensed as a motor vehicle dealer under the provisions of subpart (D) of this part; (5) towing motor vehicles owned or leased by such person, firm, association or corporation; (6) towing or transporting motor vehicles for hire, with the appropriate operating authority, as defined in 49 C.F.R. § 390.5, as amended from time to time, provided such person, firm, corporation or association does not offer towing or transporting to the public or engage in nonconsensual towing or transporting; or (7) towing motor vehicles to or from an auction conducted by a dealer licensed pursuant to the provisions of subpart (D) of this part, provided such person, firm, corporation or association does not offer direct towing or transporting to the public or engage in nonconsensual towing or transporting.
(g) Any law enforcement officer or traffic authority, as defined in section 14-297, may determine that a vehicle blocking a travel lane on a limited access highway constitutes an emergency and a threat to public safety. Upon such determination, such law enforcement officer or traffic authority may direct the operator of a wrecker to remove such vehicle. Any such operator of a wrecker shall be held harmless from liability or causes of action for property damages incurred to such vehicle or to its contents or the surrounding area caused by such emergency removal, provided such removal measures are taken under the direction of such officer or authority and all reasonable care is taken by the operator of the wrecker to limit any further damage to such vehicle, such vehicle’s contents or the surrounding area.
(h) For the purposes of this section, “nonconsensual towing or transporting” means the towing or transporting of a motor vehicle in accordance with the provisions of section 14-145 or for which arrangements are made by order of a law enforcement officer or traffic authority, as defined in section 14-297.
(i) Any person, firm, corporation or association that violates the provisions of this section shall, for a first offense, be deemed to have committed an infraction and for a second or subsequent offense, shall be guilty of a class D misdemeanor.