(A) The Town Board finds the following.
(1) The town has experienced problems with wrecker companies intercepting police calls and responding to accident scenes without being called by the police or a person involved in the accident.
(2) There have been instances of wrecker companies arguing between themselves over the right to tow disabled vehicles and asking accident victims for their business.
(3) These activities contribute to the confusion at an accident scene and create obstructions to traffic.
(4) G.S. § 160A-296 grants to towns the authority to regulate the use of public streets.
(5) G.S. § 160A-300 grants to towns the authority to prohibit, regulate, divert, control and limit vehicular traffic upon the public streets.
(6) It is in the interest of the public safety and welfare to prohibit wrecker companies from soliciting business at accident scenes.
(B) For purposes of this section, the term WRECKER shall mean a person, firm or corporation engaged in the business of, or offering the services of, a vehicle wrecker or towing service, whereby motor vehicles are or may be towed or otherwise removed from one place to another by the use of a motor vehicle adapted to and designed for that purpose.
(C) No wrecker may respond to the scene of an accident or emergency for the purpose of towing vehicles unless called there by a law enforcement officer with competent jurisdiction or a person involved in the accident or emergency. This section is intended to prohibit wrecker owners from soliciting business at the scenes of accidents and emergencies and shall not be construed to prohibit any wrecker from contracting with any person, firm or corporation; provided that, the wrecker owner, his or her agents and employees do not solicit towing contracts at the scenes of accidents or emergencies.
(D) Town staff, including law enforcement officers employed by the town, shall utilize a rotation schedule when requesting wrecker/tow services on behalf of the town. The Chief of Police shall develop and maintain a rotation wrecker policy that shall apply to all employees of the town.