What Should You Do When Traffic Police Tows Your Bike?

Having your two-wheeler towed by traffic police can be a distressing and inconvenient situation. It can happen when you mistakenly leave it in a no-parking zone or outside someone's house or if you are unaware of the bike towing rules. In case your two-wheeler ever gets towed, you would need to follow certain steps to retrieve it from the authorities. Read on to know the detailed steps to follow if your bike gets towed.

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Steps to Follow When Your Two-wheeler Gets Towed

If your beloved bike ever gets towed, it is important to take immediate action to recover it. You must know complete steps of what to do when your bike gets towed. Moreover, knowing the traffic police towing rules can help you avoid this situation. However, if you find your vehicle towed by police, here are the steps you should follow-

Steps to Follow When Your Two Wheeler Gets Towed

  1. Contact the local police
    The first and foremost step is to notify the nearest police station about the situation. Also, provide them with your two-wheeler's registration number and other relevant details. They can confirm if your vehicle has been towed and guide you on the next steps.
  2. Gather information from eyewitnesses
    Talk to any witnesses who were present at the time when your two-wheeler was towed. They may have valuable information about the incident, such as the time it occurred and who towed it. This information along with knowing the bike towing rules can be helpful in case of any further disputes or wrongful towing.
  3. Visit the nearest Regional Transport Office (RTO)
    Even after trying all the ways to find your vehicle, if you need help finding it or getting relevant information from the local police; it is advised to visit your nearest RTO. They might ask you for the necessary details like vehicle registration number, engine chassis number, etc. They may also inquire about the reasons for traffic police towing your bike. Ultimately, they will guide you on how to release your bike from the police station.

Once you have determined why your two-wheeler was towed, here is what you should do-

  1. Get ready with the mandatory documents
    Gather all the required documents, such as your driving license (DL), vehicle registration certificate (RC), chassis number, and bike insurance online. Make sure you have an active bike insurance policy. These documents will be necessary to establish ownership and facilitate the release of your two-wheeler.
  2. Inspect for damages
    Next, check for any damages that may have been sustained in your two-wheeler during the towing process. If there are any new dents or cracks, document them and consider filing for reimbursement, especially if you have your own damage bike insurance coverage for such damages.
  3. Pay penalties
    At last, if the reason for towing your two-wheeler was due to a traffic violation, there may be fines or penalties. Pay the required bike towing charges to settle the violation and get custody of your two-wheeler.
    Important tip: Keep the proof of payment for future reference.

You may also read- How to Check Vehicle Owner Details by Registration Number

What to do When Traffic Police Tows Your Vehicle: FAQs

  • Q. Is towing legal in India?

    Ans: Yes, towing is allowed in India; however, there are certain rules associated with it. Knowing the bike towing rules will help you in case your vehicle gets towed. You will be able to determine if the bike towing was authorised or wrongful.
  • Q. What is the announcement before towing a vehicle?

    Ans: Usually, the towing officer has to make a public announcement to move the parked vehicles before they can tow them. They must wait for at least 5 minutes before towing.
  • Q. What to do when traffic police take your bike?

    Ans: If traffic police seize your bike, you must immediately contact the nearest police station to gather more information regarding your two-wheeler.
  • Q. Does bike insurance cover towing by police?

    Ans: Some bike insurance policies may compensate you for the losses or damages you face from vehicle towing. It differs from insurer to insurer and depends on the coverage of the bike insurance plan you have chosen.
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Disclaimer: The list mentioned is according to the alphabetical order of the insurance companies. Policybazaar does not endorse, rate or recommend any particular insurer or insurance product offered by any insurer. This list of plans listed here comprise of insurance products offered by all the insurance partners of Policybazaar. For complete list of insurers in India refer to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India website www.irdai.gov.in
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^The renewal of insurance policy is subject to our operations not being impacted by a system failure or force majeure event or for reasons beyond our control. Actual time for a transaction may vary subject to additional data requirements and operational processes.

^The buying of Insurance policy is subject to our operations not being impacted by a system failure or force majeure event or for reasons beyond our control. Actual time for transaction may vary subject to additional data requirements and operational processes.

#Savings are based on the comparison between highest and the lowest premium for own damage cover (excluding add-on covers) provided by different insurance companies for the same vehicle with the same IDV and same NCB.

*TP price for less than 75 CC two-wheelers. All savings are provided by insurers as per IRDAI-approved insurance plan. Standard T&C apply.

*Rs 538/- per annum is the price for third party motor insurance for two wheelers of not more than 75cc (non-commercial and non-electric)

#Savings are based on the comparison between the highest and the lowest premium for own damage cover (excluding add-on covers) provided by different insurance companies for the same vehicle with the same IDV and same NCB.

*₹ 1.5 is the Comprehensive premium for a 2015 TVS XL Super 70cc, MH02(Mumbai) RTO with an IDV of ₹5,895 and NCB at 50%.

*Rs 457/- per annum is the price for the third-party motor insurance for private electric two-wheelers of not more than 3KW (non-commercial).The list of insurers mentioned are arranged according to the alphabetical order of the names of insurers respectively.Policybazaar does not endorse, rate or recommend any particular insurer or insurance product offered by any insurer. The list of plans listed here comprise of insurance products offered by all the insurance partners of Policybazaar. For complete list of insurers in India refer to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India website www.irdai.gov.in