HANDICAP PARKING Police officers say people frequently abuse permits

The fines can be stiff if you are caught parking in an area reserved for the handicapped.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Handicap parking placards are meant to help those in need, but abuse of the permits is common, say law enforcement officials.
The use of the placards by those without disabilities, or cars parked in such spots without the permits, can lead to a shortage of the privileged parking for those with a legitimate need.
Capt. Mike Menster of the Sharon Police Department said that while problems do exist and some motorists are improperly parking in the handicap-restricted areas, "it's not a really serious problem."
In Ohio, handicap permits are handled by the state's motor vehicle bureau. In Pennsylvania, forms are obtained at police stations and processed through the state transportation department.
A signed statement by a physician recommending the patient for the permit is needed in both states. In certain cases, the form may be signed by police officers in Pennsylvania.
Permits may be in the form of a placard placed inside the car or special license plates.
Discovering abuse: Capt. Jim Cerenelli of the Liberty Police Department said that his department "sees more [misuse] than we would like to see."
A common way that police discover the illegal parking is simply by patrolling parking lots. If a car is parked in a handicap place with no visible tag, officers will check the car thoroughly before ticketing.
Often, citations are written, then rescinded because the car's owner had a permit, but it was not visible.
Lt. Don Beeson of the Salem Police Department said some drivers place the placard or permit in glove compartments or clip them on sun visors, which hides them from an officer's view. If this situation occurs, officers will void the ticket.
Family members of a person with disabilities may obtain a permit if the family member provides transportation. These permits, however, are only valid when transporting the handicapped person.
Sometimes, the offender is borrowing the car of a driver who has been issued the permit. These cases are usually discovered by observing the person who is getting out of the car.
"You actually have to watch the person," said Sgt. Larry Salvato of the Warren Police Department.
Salvato said that police can run the permit through their computers and get a physical description of who the permit was issued to. This makes it more obvious if the placard is being misused.
Another way that violators are caught is through concerned citizens who witness illegal parking and alert police to the situation.
Excuses: A variety of excuses are given for why cars are illegally parked in handicap spaces. The usual excuses are that the person was in a hurry or was injured. Others claim they just dropped someone off who needed the permit, but often the handicapped person is not present when the car is parked in the reserved spaces.
Lt. Rick Russo of the New Castle Police Department said that many people park in the places because they believe that they have the right to, such as someone who just had surgery.
In Pennsylvania, cars illegally parked in handicap places on private property may be towed by the property owner. In such cases, the car owner must pay for the towing.
Penalties for parking in handicap spaces without a permit include fines that can range from $50 to $200 plus court costs. Ohio fines vary by city, while Pennsylvania's fines are set for individual cases by district justices.