Disabled and Abandoned Vehicle Incidents Governing Laws, Literature and Survey from Different States

摘要

Questionnaire survey from different states and literature review related to disabled and abandoned vehicles in comparison to those experienced in Tennessee are presented in this paper. The findings are part of the study examining the impact of some sections of Tennessee Code Annotated regarding removal of abandoned and disabled vehicles. A comprehensive search of literature was undertaken to uncover both published and unpublished papers and reports on previous efforts related to disabled and abandoned vehicle incidents. A survey questionnaire was also synthesized and sent to all states to solicit experience, policy and practices related to disabled and abandoned vehicle incidents. The responders to the survey questionnaire were state traffic management agencies, traffic engineers and other personnel in equivalent capacity. The study found that, the abandoned and disabled vehicle incidents are problematic in other states as in Tennessee. It was also found that the laws and regulations governing abandoned and disabled vehicles vary from one state to another and sometimes by counties or cities within the same state. Most states seem to be satisfied with their current laws regarding abandoned/disabled vehicles; however, there have been law changes in some states to facilitate incident management. The towing of abandoned and disabled vehicles in many states ranges from 24-48 hours after the incidents. The average incident durations in many states ranges from 30-60 minutes. Based on the findings, the study concluded that the 48 hours time limit required by the Tennessee Code Annotated for removing disabled or abandoned vehicles has no significant negative effect on the traffic safety and operations in the state.