If my car was impounded because I left it on the side of the road can the police search it?

Answer 1

It depends ...

If the vehicle is subject to impound, most states DO allow an inventory of the vehicle subsequent to impound. Additionally, law enforcement might enter the vehicle to find evidence of ownership or registration.

This can be state specific.

- Carl

Answer 2

where the car is stopped so that it is obstructing traffic or stopped in a place where it may not be safely parked and the driver has been arrested, the officer must take custody of the vehicle. Under such circumstances, an officer may legally examine the car and its contents so long as certain requirements are satisfied. The justifications for this examination include the need to protect the owner's property as well as the officer's interest in locating hazardous items, and also his need to verify what items are present so as to avoid later false claims.



A lawful impoundment inventory requires first that the officer lawfully acquire custody of the vehicle. Consequently, both the legality of the stop and the necessity of taking control of the vehicle must be shown. Second, the officer must show that the inventory was conducted pursuant to a standard, uniformly applied inventory policy. Finally, the officer must show that his examination was within the scope of search allowed, that he restricted his examination to places where valuables or hazardous items might likely be concealed. This logically includes the passenger compartment, glove compartment, trunk, and the contents of any containers found therein.

Answer 3

If a police department has a policy allowing inventory searches, then they are allowed to search anywhere in the car (almost all police departments have this kind of policy.) If your car was left in a jurisdiction where the police department has no policy of this sort, the police officer would still be allowed to enter the car and search areas where he may reasonably find identification so he may alert the car's owner (pretty much anywhere in the car but under the hood.) By abandoning the car, you've given up any reasonable expectation of privacy.

Answer 4

Yes, it is legal for the police to search a car that was left on the side of the road. Any time a car is towed, the police can search it. It is an exception to the 4th amendment.

Answer 5

Yes. It is considered property and will be inventoried prior to impound, in most cases. This is to protect the officer and to make sure you don't say I had a million bucks in the trunk.
You would be charged as the owner for whatever was found.

Answer 6

In short, yes but its not considered a search its a vehicle inventory. It is routine business and is for the protection, safety and liability reduction by the municipality that initiated the tow. .. My biggest question would be why would you leave your car on the side fo the road to begin with.

Answer 7

You bet they can. Maybe the window was broken, why, they need to look inside to see if everything is alright. Don't forget, all damages when the car is impounded are your responsibility, not the tow company, not the police.

Answer 8

Not only can they search it, the police HAVE to search it. Its called inventory. They have to document everything that was in the car.

Answer 9

Yes - it is open for search by right of abandonment. It is considered routine to search a vehicle that has been abandoned for any information that might lead them to its owner. If you abandoned a vehicle and are concerned you can report it as missing.

Answer 10

Yes basicly. ( in most cases they call it doing an inventory) but it works the same way.