Sacramento – As part of its commitment to raise public awareness about the fraudulent use of disabled person parking placards, investigators with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) carried out a Dec. 20, 2017 enforcement operation at 3460 El Camino Ave. in Sacramento. This proactive effort resulted in the review of 115 disabled person parking placards and the issuance of 4 misdemeanor citations. Offenders must appear in court to face possible fines that range from $250 to $1,000. While the misdemeanor offense will appear on an offender’s driver record, no points are assessed because it is not a moving violation.
The DMV carries out numerous enforcement operations every month throughout the state in an effort to reduce the impact that disabled person parking placard fraud has on the mobility of those with disabilities. It is important to note that some qualifying disabilities are not visually apparent and allegations of misuse may be unfounded.
The department has also launched a statewide campaign designed to educate Californians about the need for compliance and the consequences that come with violating the law. The DMV encourages the public to share this important message through posters, brochures, and public service announcements available on the DMV website at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/about/dppp_outreach.
The level of reported or observed misuse of disabled person parking placards varies from area to area. Most violations involve people using disabled parking placards issued to family or friends to avoid parking fees, and obtaining convenient and/or unrestricted parking. California law prohibits anyone from lending their assigned placard, knowingly permitting the use of it or allowing anyone else to use it while they are not present. Individuals cannot display a disabled person parking placard that has been cancelled, revoked or not issued to them.
Anyone who suspects a person may be misusing a disabled person parking placard is urged to report it using an online complaint form or by contacting their local DMV Investigations office. Submissions are confidential.
Statewide statistics: From July 1 to Nov. 30, 2017, DMV investigators issued 1,176 citations to people fraudulently using disabled person placards during 124 enforcement operations. During fiscal year 2016/17, they handed out 1,625 citations.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Tweet This
Facebook
Digg This
Bookmark
Stumble
RSS
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
16 Comments
Lori Alexander Bledsoe
?
Go to Henry Mayo you will see employees and sales reps with them.
Are you implying that people who work or sell at Henry Mayo can’t possibly be handicapped?
No, I I know the people that misuse the placards.
Brian Petri
?
Sadly my mom just got 2 tickets from the same person at the same time because she accidently put up her placecard that had just expired. The 2 tickets total about $700. One ticket says expired placecard and the other says No valid placecard (however they just gave her a ticket for an expired one so there was one there) We are fighting them and sending them her updated placecard. If you were to look at her you might judge her and think she isn’t disabled but you wouldn’t know that she had a liver transplant and has breathing issues when walking.
When I put my expired plaque what and got a ticket I went in the office and appealed it! Paid only $25,
There should be specific spots and plaques for vans that need ramp access. For some it’s not the close proximity to the building, it’s the extra space needed on the side of the spot that allows people in wheelchairs to exit their vehicles.
I once said to Dudley that if they put the van accessible parking spaces at the outer edges of the lot we probably would have no trouble finding one available. That’s where we have to park most of the time anyway, on the outer edges but taking up two spaces. And I totally agree. Placards need to be different for regular handicap spaces and van-accessible spaces. Spots are labeled van-accessible but anyone with a placard or special plates can park there legally.
And doctors prescribe placards with no thought as to whether there will be enough available spots for people to use them.
I work in the main Six Flags Magic Mountain parking lot and we offer >100 hdcp spots. Many are marked as van accessibility. I must say I’m happy when the white volunteers of the sheriffs arrive and grab many of the lack of display or expired permits. I wish there was a way to compare the placard to the guests that might be in the car as I do question what seems to be able bodied people ready to ride 19 roller coasters and parking in hdcp spots.
I’m cool with this at the mall. Too many self-entitled jackwagons that think they can get away with it here. ?
Cole Beach
I pay $140 a month to park in downtown Sacramento. I’m glad to see the crackdown. If I have to pay then everyone should have to pay.