After several cases where disabled parking permits were being fraudulently used in California, the Department of Motor Vehicles initiated efforts to crack down on violators.
In July, the CA DMV conducted a total of 24 operations throughout the state and issued 170 citations to drivers who were caught misusing a disabled parking permit. To find out whether or not drivers were legitimately using disabled parking placards, investigators contacted and questioned a total of 1,596 people.
Since the investigations rolled out, the DMV has issued hundreds of citations with fines ranging from $250 to $1,000. These offenses are also recorded on driving records for residents caught in violation of the law.
According to state lawmakers, drivers who are issued a disabled parking permit cannot allow someone else to use it while they are not present. If drivers are caught illegally using a disabled placard, investigators may confiscate it and issue further citations.
“Most violations involve family or friends using a DPPP (Disabled Person Parking Placard) to avoid parking fees, obtain convenient or unrestricted parking,” DMV spokesman Jaime Garza said.
Garza also explained how some people are even purchasing disabled placards online, which is also considered to be illegal.
In order for violators to be issued a citation, sworn police officers serving as DMV investigators must witness the misuse of a disabled placard. If an investigator suspects that a placard is being abused, he or she has the right to approach the driver and verify whether or not the person who was issued the permit is in the vehicle.
Police officers verify disabled parking permits by comparing the insurance number placed on the placard with the person’s registration card.
“It should be noted that not all disabilities are visible,” Garza said, “so if you see someone without a cane, wheelchair, walker, etc., it does not mean they do not have some condition that inhibits their mobility.”
The CA DMV began taking fraudulent use of disabled parking permits more seriously when a state auditor reviewed that the department did not “sufficiently ensure applications for disabled person parking placards and disabled person or disabled veteran license plates are legitimate” in April.
As part of the auditor’s report, it was revealed that the CA DMV approved 70 out of 96 applications that did not include sufficient medical documents to be approved for a disabled placard. The review also found that the DMV had failed to cancel permits for people who may have passed away, considering 26,000 placard holders were listed as 100 years of age or older.