---
title: "TowingDad — Sourced answers about towing, impound and roadside."
canonical: https://towingdad.shop/
lang: en
---

Independent publisher

# Answers about towing, impound and roadside assistance.
We do not perform tows, we do not sell leads, and we do not accept payment for placement. That is what lets us tell you when the tow company is the one in the wrong.

[My car was towed](/impound/) [Browse the questions](/questions/)

## Start here
- 
### [My car was towed](/impound/)
How to find it, what to bring, and what to ask before you pay.

- 
### [Your rights](/rights/)
What you can demand, and what the law actually limits.

- 
### [How your vehicle should be towed](/vehicles/)
Drivetrain by method, with the manufacturer rules.

- 
### [Calculators](/calculators/)
Tow cost, impound total, towing capacity.

## The distinction almost nobody gets right
That last carve-out is the hinge. States and cities **may** cap what you are charged for a police-ordered tow or a tow off private property, because you did not choose it. They generally **may not** cap prices for a consensual tow you called for yourself.

[Read the full explanation](/rights/)

## Which tow method is safe
Drive wheels must come off the ground. A flatbed is correct for every drivetrain, and electric vehicles require one.

Which tow method is safe| Drivetrain | Flatbed | Wheel-lift (drive wheels up) | Tow dolly | Flat tow (4 down) 

| Front-wheel drive | ✓Safe | ✓Safe, front up | ✓Safe, front on dolly | ✕No 

| Rear-wheel drive | ✓Safe | ✓Safe, rear up | !Rear on dolly only | !Manual only 

| All-wheel drive | ✓Safe | ✕Drivetrain damage | ✕Drivetrain damage | ✕No 

| Four-wheel drive | ✓Safe | !Manual only | !Manual only | !Transfer case in N 

| Electric vehicle | ✓Required | ✕Pack damage / fire | ✕Pack damage / fire | ✕Never 

| Motorcycle | ✓Required, strapped | ✕No | ✕No | ✕No 

[See the detail by drivetrain](/vehicles/)