Abandoned vehicle

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A car abandoned on an overgrown bridleway in Herefordshire, England Abandoned car on bridleway - geograph.org.uk - 453353.jpg
A car abandoned on an overgrown bridleway in Herefordshire, England

Abandoned vehicles are decrepit cars or car wrecks or cars that have become useless in other ways, which are abandoned and illegally dumped in the environment. Abandoned vehicles will be tagged with an official notice when found or reported. [1] Criteria for "abandonment" may differ, and a minimum duration of abandonment in the order of a few days to weeks is required. When reporting such a vehicle, the required data will usually comprise the exact location, the make, colour and type, and - if available and readable - possibly the VIN and the licence plate. Costs for removal will as a rule be taken by public councils.

Contents

Environmental impact

A long abandoned truck in an advanced state of decay. Abandoned Truck zoomed out.jpg
A long abandoned truck in an advanced state of decay.

Abandoned cars use up space in the environment and, just like other waste, pose considerable risks for public health.

Disused ... vehicles left in the environment are unsightly and affect the visual amenity of the area. In addition, components deteriorate and leaks, such as oil and battery acid, pollute the surroundings and can cause risk to the health and safety of people and animals. Abandoned vehicles also provide harbourage for pests like rats and mice which spread disease.

Specific rules and regulations

A common definition is that the vehicle must have been left on private or public property for a minimum duration (≥ 24 hours) or it hasn't been reclaimed after being impounded after a minimum number of days.

United States

An abandoned car in California Blue broken down car. - panoramio.jpg
An abandoned car in California

The definition of an "abandoned vehicle" varies widely across the states and larger cities of the US. In Iowa, for example, the following criteria apply: [3]

"Abandoned vehicle" means any of the following:

  1. A vehicle that has been left unattended on public property for more than twenty-four hours and lacks current registration plates or two or more wheels or other parts which renders the vehicle totally inoperable.
  2. A vehicle that has remained illegally on public property for more than twenty-four hours.
  3. A vehicle that has been unlawfully parked on private property or has been placed on private property without the consent of the owner or person in control of the property for more than twenty-four hours.
  4. A vehicle that has been legally impounded by order of a police authority and has not been reclaimed for a period of ten days. However, a police authority may declare the vehicle abandoned within the ten-day period by notifying the owner.
  5. Any vehicle parked on the highway determined by a police authority to create a hazard to other vehicle traffic.
  6. A vehicle that has been impounded by order of the court and whose owner has not paid the impoundment fees after notification by the person or agency responsible for carrying out the impoundment order.

A number of differing criteria are listed here in no specific order:

Australia

As in the US, there is not one single set of rules. Following is an arbitrary selection:

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. "Report an abandoned vehicle - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk.
  2. Here, Name. "Abandoned Vehicles - Environmental Health - Infrastructure Services - Shetland Islands Council". www.shetland.gov.uk.
  3. "Iowa Code 321.89 - Abandoned vehicles". LawServer. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  4. "Arizona DOT/ Motor Vehicle Services/ Vehicle Services/ Abandoned Vehicles/ Overview". Arizona DOT. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  5. "Abandoned and impounded vehicles". Boston.gov. 2017-03-26. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  6. "Reporting Abandoned Nuisance Vehicles". TDLR. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  7. "TRANSPORTATION CODE CHAPTER 683. ABANDONED MOTOR VEHICLES". Texas Constitution and Statutes - Home. 2009-09-01. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  8. "Abandoned Vehicle". NYC 311. 2009-03-18. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  9. "Abandoned Vehicles - Police". seattle.gov. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  10. "Report a stolen, damaged or abandoned vehicle - Your rights, crime and the law". Queensland Government. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  11. "Abandoned vehicles". NT.GOV.AU. 2017-05-05. Retrieved 2017-08-24.