§ 45-2-182 — Regulation of Motor Vehicle Wreckers

(a) In Baldwin County, all motor vehicle wreckers shall be placed upon a rotation system to be devised by the Alabama State Department of Public Safety to be used in calling wreckers to the scene of motor vehicle wrecks or where a motor vehicle is disable. Provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall not be applicable to any municipality which has an ordinance or which enacts an ordinance contrary to the provisions herein.
(b) A request system shall be used in cases where the owner or operator of the motor vehicle expresses a preference for a particular wrecker, but in cases where no preference is expressed or where the owner/operator is unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate, the trooper or other law enforcement officer shall call the wrecker at the top of the rotation list.
(c) Wreckers shall not go to the scene of a wreck unsolicited; nor while en route to a wreck, shall they speed or drive recklessly. They shall not jam up the scene of a wreck, nor shall they solicit wreck victims on the scene.
(d) There shall be a time limit set for how long a rotation wrecker may take in getting to the scene of a wreck. Any wrecker company which is consistently tardy in reporting to the wreck scene when summoned shall be removed from the rotation list.
(e) State troopers or other law enforcement officers are forbidden to show any favoritism whatsoever in calling wreckers.
(f) Wreckers on the rotation list must meet the criteria set by the Alabama State Department of Public Safety.
(g) Any person who violates any provision of this section or any rule or regulation of the Alabama State Department of Public Safety promulgated hereunder shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished as prescribed by law.

Legislative History

(Act 83-687, p. 1128, §§1-7.)