Placard abuse refers to the illegal or improper use of government-issued disability parking placards that are intended to allow vehicles to use parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities. Common forms of placard abuse include:
- Lending a valid disability placard to someone who is not authorized to use it.
- Using a disability placard that was issued to another person or one that has been canceled or revoked.
- Parking in a disabled parking spot with a disability placard when the person with the disability is not present.
- Using an expired placard.
- Forging, counterfeiting, photocopying, or altering a disability placard.
Placard abuse enables able-bodied individuals to take advantage of parking privileges reserved for people with genuine disabilities, which creates difficulties for those who truly need accessible parking. It is considered a criminal offense in many jurisdictions, and those caught committing placard abuse may face fines, loss of parking privileges, license suspension, and even vehicle towing. Overall, placard abuse undermines the intent of disability parking accommodations and is taken seriously by law enforcement and regulatory authorities to protect the rights of disabled individuals.
