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California To Crack Down On Disabled Parking Placard Abuse

SACRAMENTO (KPIX 5) -- California is cracking down on the disabled parking placard program, and it's not just drivers.

State lawmakers are announcing an audit into the DMV, and the entire disabled placard program.

Thousands of cars and motorcycles with disabled placard's park for free all over the Bay Area, but while many are genuinely disabled drivers, there are also many people abusing the system.

"There have been times when I've wanted to ask people to move their car because my dad can't walk," Rhona Sherill told KPIX 5. Her father has a disabled parking placard.

Lawmakers credit several news investigations including a KPIX 5 report where cheats have been exposed, abusing disabled parking placards belonging to friends and relatives, including some who are deceased.

"This specifically is an audit where we're making the DMV a little uncomfortable to make sure they're doing things right when it comes to the disabled placard program," California Assemblyman Mike Gatto said.

Last year, the DMV started cracking down on drivers who improperly apply for disability parking placards.

The department even launched operation blue zone which had DMV investigators searching applications that didn't seem legitimate, but lawmakers say more needs to be done.

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