South Carolina Tries New Handicapped Parking Placard Program

posted on Dec 22 by in the Disability News, Opinion and Discussion, Wheelchair Accessibility, Wheelchair Accessible Vans category

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Amid all the controversy of illegal parking in a designated handicapped space, South Carolina handicapped placards and license tags will get a facelift. A new law will take effect on January 1, 2010 that requires placards to have a picture of the person it was issued to. Both tags and placards will have certificates verifying their authenticity. Those who currently hold a valid disabled placard will have to re-certify their disability once it expires before they can obtain the new one. This is just one step out of many that will be taken in South Carolina to attempt to curb the abuse. Several other remedies have been suggested such as, larger fines, increased enforcement, and penalties for doctors who abuse the system by freely handing out the placards. This new law is not without controversy.

The question must be asked…. does the photo requirement invade the privacy of the disabled person?

Source: http://www.wbtv.com/story/11674812/photos-added-to-new-sc-disabled-parking-placards

3 Comments

John W. Jablinski, posted this comment on Jan 18th, 2010

Its about time that something is done about the abuse of the handicapped parking spaces.
I am sick and tired of people parking in the handicapped spots and get out of their car and walk into the store and push a cart around. Its either the relatives or friends who use the person’s placard or a Doctor who just gives out permissions without even thinking.
The police could make alot of money for the towns by just checking handicapped tags and the person who is in the car.

don nostrand, posted this comment on Sep 22nd, 2010

I am a retired state trooper paralyzed from the waste down. My wife drives us around and if there is a empty space in this area we take that rather thaan the handy cap space. A local police officer was told that he had no right to ask if the person using the plackard was handicaped. the revenue that could be generated would be amazing.if you want the tag, you should have a picture on it(great idea)

Tabatha Martz, posted this comment on May 11th, 2011

as a young woman with a neuromuscular problem, people don’t look at me and see that I am disabled and think I am not the person the tag belongs to. for this reason I approve.

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