Drivers express displeasure with the crash tax

Auto Accidents Crash Tax

Auto Accidents Crash Tax

Insurance companies aren’t any happier with the fee.

Motorists and insurers alike are speaking out against the crash tax that they are facing in some cities in California, where accident response fees are charged to victims of accidents, regardless of whether or not they were at fault for what happened.

Drivers who are the victims of someone else’s negligence can be forced to pay $200 or more in fees for fire trucks.

When firefighters are sent to the scene of an accident along with police and ambulances when an emergency call is made, even when other motorists are deemed at fault, the victims are being faced with the bills.

This form of crash tax is becoming increasingly popular among municipalities that are tight for funds and are seeking a new way to recoup some cash, especially for expensive services such as emergency response teams. These fees started across the united states in around 2006 and 2007, at the time that the American economy started to waver. This was done in the hopes to build necessary funding for local fire and police departments.

Since then, many cities have slammed themselves into reverse and have rescinded those fees.

Many of those municipalities are claiming that the crash tax caused them far more harm than good. Although thirteen states currently prohibit this type of fee, another 34 states either already have municipalities that charge them, or have cities that are at least considering ordinances that will permit them.

It is common for a third party vendor to be hired by the municipalities for the collection of the fees, which can vary significantly in their size, but that usually consist of a few hundred dollars. The services for which the fees are applied also differ from one place to the next. While some charge only for fire response, others will charge for police response as well, or instead. Though some of these charges are sent to everyone, others are sent only to drivers from out of town.

Typically, the crash tax is billed to the insurance company of the driver, though sometimes it is sent to the motorist.

 

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