More Ohio Motorists Getting Handicapped Parking Placards

posted on Sep 15 by in the Advocacy, Disability Law, Disability News, Wheelchair Accessibility, Wheelchair Accessibility Laws, Wheelchair Accessible Vans category

More Ohio Handicapped Parking Placards Being Issued

A decade ago, Ohio’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles was issuing maybe half as many handicapped-parking placards as today. In fact, in 2010 the state issued more than 320,000 placards – more than the years 2001 and 2002 combined. That brought the 2010 total number of valid placard holders to over 1 million Ohio residents (10% of the state’s population).

Ohio’s population may simply be aging, though 1,082 tickets were issued for handicapped-parking violations. A large portion of the placards, while valid, may not be used by the person to whom it was issued. California’s Department of Motor Vehicles just recently began a crackdown, estimating that as many as a third of the placards displayed on their public streets are being used illegally.

Ohio Handicapped Placards by Year via The Columbus Dispatch

Kay Grier, executive director of the Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council, said, “It’s one of my pet peeves… I don’t know if it’s just not important to them or what,” and urged Ohio’s officials to follow California and also enforce handicapped-parking rules. Ohio officials began to listen in Columbus. Their city council raised handicapped parking fines 30%; Officials had sought an increase from $250 to $350, but the Council opted to push it to the limit, the maximum allowed under state law: $500.

A prescription from a healthcare provider is required to obtain a placard, and another change has been initiated: shorter durations. Previously, placards could remain valid for 2 or 5 years (renewable). Now, placard durations can be as short as 2 months.

Have you experienced any annoyances obtaining or utilizing your handicapped-parking placard? Have you ever seen people you suspect are misusing a tag or sticker or placard? Did you bring attention to it? Did anyone of authority react with interest?

Ohio Handicapped Parking Placard

Source:
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/07/05/more-ohio-motorists-get-ok-to-park-close.html
http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/number-of-handicapped-parking-placards-surge-1213476.html

4 Comments

M. Hites, posted this comment on Feb 9th, 2012

How does someone report abuse of a handicap placard. My friend had knee surgery and got a temporary placard. Now she just had a replacement and is in therapy and she asked the Dr to give her one for 5 years and he did just that. Her husband uses it when she is not in the vehicle. We have no doubt that we will be buying her a scooter before it is over through the government program. They think this is owed to them. Is there any place to report abuse and the Dr that signed her up for the five year placard before she is done with therapy? They go to Hawaii next year and she plans on walking very well by then.

Sherri, posted this comment on Feb 9th, 2012

I would suggest contacting your local Department of Motor Vehicles and/or your local Vehicle Tag Office to see what they suggest about reporting handicap placard abuse. Thanks for reading!

Charles Turner, posted this comment on Feb 15th, 2012

I have handicapped placards issued by my doctor for vascular problems with my lower legs. They were injuried while I was in the Military. I attend Bowling Green State University as a Disabled Veteran getting retrained. I have had SO MUCH problems with this institution! I have complained and complained about the young people that are utilizing hanidcapped placards that are obvoiously healthy!

I parked on the blue lines (as many were doing because they were the only place I could find adequate to get to class. I can not walk that fair and carry my books with out having to stop due to extreme pain and fatiuqe.

Well I got a ticket and protested to the Campus police who told me there was nothing they could do and that they were in compliance. However they COULD DO MORE and that was to issue me a citation because they did not have my new placard information on file in their office. So they fined me $250 dollars and I HAD MY PLACARD DISPLAYED IN MY WINDOW! I told them that it was valid because the STATE issued it to me and my condition will never get better as they have removed viens and the remaining ones are bad too!
Can they ignor OHIO law and issue me a citation when it was a Handicapped Space I have Valid Placards on my vehicle?

Sherri, posted this comment on Feb 15th, 2012

Hi Charles, we at AMS Vans are based out of Atlanta, Georgia, and so we are not familiar with Ohio driving enforcement laws beyond what was reported in this story. I would definitely recommend that you take your case to the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles and your local tag office, however, to see if they can answer that question or point you in the right direction to get this matter cleared up. Thanks for reading.

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