Why is the vehicle impounded when the other party is fully at fault?
3 Answers
After the traffic accident liability determination is issued, if the other party is determined to be fully at fault, they are required to compensate for the other party's losses. Reasons are as follows: Normal procedure: Generally, in the event of an accident involving both parties, the traffic police department will first impound both vehicles involved in the accident. This is the standard procedure. Other party fully at fault: If the official liability determination has been issued and clearly states that the other party is fully at fault, you can retrieve your vehicle. Additional information: According to the relevant provisions of the "Road Traffic Safety Law Implementation Regulations," traffic police departments at all levels are only authorized to impound vehicles under the following circumstances: Driving a motor vehicle without a motor vehicle driver's license or during the period when the original and duplicate of the motor vehicle driver's license are detained; Driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or while intoxicated; Driving a motor vehicle with a borrowed, misappropriated, altered, forged, fraudulently obtained, or expired motor vehicle driver's license; Driving a motor vehicle that does not match the permitted vehicle type specified in the driver's license; Driving a motor vehicle while suffering from a disease that impedes safe driving or while excessively fatigued.
When the other party is fully at fault, your car being impounded is part of the accident handling process. Traffic police impound vehicles mainly for investigation and evidence collection, such as checking for potential safety hazards, verifying accident details, or examining drunk driving behavior. This ensures more accurate liability determination and prevents anyone from concealing facts. I once experienced a minor scrape where the other driver's reckless driving caused severe damage to my car, and it was towed away for several days. It was a headache at the time, but I later understood that this step is essential for smoother insurance claims. Delays are normal, so don’t worry—just cooperate with the police and review your insurance manual to familiarize yourself with the process.
The most common reason for vehicle impoundment is the police needing to verify the authenticity of an accident or address potential hazards. Even if the other party is fully at fault, your car may be temporarily impounded if it poses risks such as damage, oil leaks, or obstruction of traffic, to prevent secondary accidents. For instance, I heard of a case where a car with engine damage parked by the roadside was immediately towed for assessment. This process is crucial for public safety—don't complain; instead, appreciate these measures for averting bigger troubles. As a side tip, it's advisable to keep emergency contact information in your car for quicker coordination with repair shops in case of incidents.
