GTSC Urges Motorists to Obey Parking Rules for the Disabled

ALBANY, NY (11/23/2007)(readMedia)-- Commissioner David J. Swarts of the State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC), Acting Superintendent Preston L. Felton of the State Police and Gary O’Brien, Chair of the Commission on Quality of Care & Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities today urged motorists to obey parking rules for the disabled and avoid parking illegally in spaces designated for people with disabilities – especially during the busy holiday shopping season.

“State laws require parking to be reserved for people with disabilities to provide access and reduce the risk of injury,” Commissioner Swarts said. “Parking or stopping illegally in areas marked with the International Symbol of Access inconveniences those individuals and threatens their safety. I urge all motorists to respect the rights of these people and do not park or stop in these designated areas – especially during the busy holiday shopping season.”

New York State Police Acting Superintendent Preston L. Felton said, “With increased traffic volume during the holiday season, the New York State Police urges motorists to be patient, courteous, and attentive when traveling. Troopers will be patrolling roadways to encourage safe travel, as well as patrolling parking areas to assure that handicapped parking spaces are being used by those who truly need them.”

“Thanksgiving is a holiday set aside to offer gratitude for the many gifts we have received,” said Gary O’Brien, Chair of the Commission on Quality of Care & Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities. “Individuals with disabilities in New York express their gratitude to you for respecting parking accommodations the law has established to assist them. So remember to obey the law when you are shopping and parking. Don’t use parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities unless you have a parking permit or license plates allowing you to use the reserved spaces – including the marked access areas next to the spaces so people with wheelchairs have room to navigate.”

New York State law, as well as some local laws, prohibit unauthorized stopping, standing or parking in designated handicapped parking spaces and parking in handicapped parking access aisles. A motorist may only stop, stand or park in a designated handicapped parking space if the vehicle displays an appropriate valid parking permit or valid license plate bearing the handicapped symbol, and if the vehicle is being used for the transportation of a disabled person. No person may lawfully park in a handicapped parking access aisle. Fines under state law for parking in a space designated for use by disabled persons (or for parking in the access aisle) range from $50 - $75 for a first offense and from $75 - $150 for a second offense occurring within a two year period in the same municipality. Municipal laws may impose higher fines for these types of violations. In addition to subjecting the offender to a fine, conviction for these offenses, whether under state or municipal law, will result in imposition of a $30 mandatory surcharge.

Violations could include the use of an altered or expired parking permit, parking in a handicapped parking space without displaying the required parking permit or plate, illegal use of a special permit or plate, and blocking access aisles marked for vans and other life-equipped vehicles. Officers ticketing parking violators also can have illegally parked vehicles towed and impounded at the owner’s expense.

New York State has an estimated 2.5 million residents with disabilities who hold more than 50,000 distinctive license plates and 600,000 parking permits issued for people with disabilities.

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