Daily Auto News Fender Bender? Watch Out for the Crash Tax
Daily Auto News
Illinois resident Cary Feldman’s motor scooter wasn’t damaged too badly when it was hit from behind by a car. He thought he might get away without much of a bill for the accident. But then the 911 bill came.
Chicago’s CBS2 explains, “If you get into a car accident and 911 is called, you may get billed for the emergency response. Cash-strapped communities are sending out bills to cover the costs of fire trucks responding to crashes.” And it doesn’t matter whether you’re at fault – often, both parties to an accident get a bill.
Kicking Tires reports, “Such so-called ‘crash taxes’ are an alarming trend in the 41 states that have not banned the practice. Illinois lawmakers are even considering legislation that would allow municipalities to bill up to $250-per-hour for emergency services that are already funded in part by taxes.”
Feldman didn’t even call 911himself. A good Samaritan saw the accident and called. “There was no fire, there was no explosion, there was no debris,” Feldman told CBS2. “From what I saw, they came, they saw, and they left.” And then they billed him $200, and the man who hit him $100. They even sent the matter to collections, damaging his credit, when he didn’t pay it.
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