It’s every driver’s worst nightmare: You walk out to the parking lot from the grocery store, library or even the office, only to discover that your car somehow isn’t where you left it. A brief moment of panic – was your car stolen? – and then the reality of the situation hits – you’ve been towed.

Despite your best efforts, getting your car towed is an unfortunate reality for a surprisingly large number of motorists. In fact, according to Statista, the instances of cars being towed are actually on the rise. Between 2008 and 2013, the source indicated that towing revenue in the U.S. rose from $5.25 billion to $6 billion.

Whether you miscalculated your time at the meter, didn’t see that “no parking sign” or just suffered from plain old bad luck, getting your car towed can be stressful and expensive, especially if you’ve never dealt with it before. Here are a few basic steps to guide you if you find yourself in this position.  If you have any questions, call NJ State Auto at (201) 200-1100.

Get the Facts

There’s no denying that walking out to a parking lot only to find your car missing can trigger a cascade of worry and panic, but it’s important to try to stay calm while avoiding making assumptions. Unfortunately, many towing companies aren’t obliged to inform you that your car has been removed, which leaves it up to you to figure out if your ride has been hauled away in the first place.

The first thing you should do is call your local police department. They should be able to inform you if your car has been registered at any of the local impound lots, indicating that it’s been towed instead of stolen. Even in this stressful situation, knowing that your car has only been towed is something of a silver lining at least.

Don’t Wait

Once you’ve established that your car has found a new temporary home at an impound lot, you should make retrieving it your new priority. You may be tempted to wait until the weekend or your day off next week, but that could have disastrous consequences. Impound lots charge you a fee for every day your car sits there, so the longer you wait to pick up your car the more you’ll end up paying to bust it out. Even more seriously, if you wait too long, the lot may simply auction off your car. Towing companies may not even call you to tell you your car is about to be auctioned – instead, they’ll print the announcement of the auction in the local newspaper. Remember those? Didn’t think so. It’s definitely worth the minor inconvenience to avoid a major headache later.

Know Your Rights

If you find yourself in a situation where your car has been towed, it can understandably feel like you’re utterly powerless. Fortunately, you aren’t without rights in these situations, and it’s imperative that you keep these in mind so you can avoid being taken advantage of.

For example, many towing companies will insist that you pay the required fee in cash, which can put a damper on many people’s plans of reclaiming their rides. However, even though it’s standard practice, towing companies can’t legally obligate you to pay in cash – they have to accept debit or credit transactions. Similarly, some cities and states allow drivers to take their cars home from the tow lot without having to pay the fee up front – all that’s required is that you provide proof of ownership, Arizona’s State Press noted.

Inspect Your Car

It’s unfortunate, but there’s a decent chance that when you retrieve your car from the tow lot, it won’t be in the same condition you left it. You may think that tow truck drivers are obligated to take care of your car in the process of towing it, but this isn’t the case. In fact, in many instances, operators who are in a hurry, late for another appointment or simply absent-minded may make careless mistakes that can result in things like scratches or even dents to your car.

Most of the time these issues are strictly cosmetic, but if you notice particularly egregious damage to your car’s exterior it may be worth it to get it inspected to ensure there isn’t any more significant damage that’s been done.

Learn

As they say, to err is human. Mistakes are an inevitable part of life, even those that result in your car getting towed. But the important thing is to use the process as a learning experience. If your car was towed due to illegal parking, be sure to be more fastidious about only parking in spots that you know you’re permitted to do so. Similarly, avoid racking up parking tickets – they may seem like little more than a nuisance, but if amounts accumulate too much, you can find yourself making another trip to the impound lot.

If you’re in the market for a high-quality used car, truck, or SUV head to New Jersey State Auto. There you’ll find hundreds of Carfax-certified cars on the lot, ensuring that you’ll drive away in the ride of your dreams.