DES MOINES – A bill advancing through the Iowa legislature would strike down the unlimited life span of handicapped parking windshield cards and force a renewal every 5 years.
A bill supported by disability rights groups passed the Senate this week after unanimous approval in the Iowa House last year. House File 588 will help ensure parking spots for disabled Iowans are available to them by reducing fraudulent use of parking placards, Iowa Democrats reported.
Currently, Iowa offers a temporary windshield placard valid for up to six months for those with a short-term need for disabled parking. The state also issues a non-expiring placard for folks with longer-term needs.
House File 588 replaces the non-expiring placard with one that expires after five years.
A license plate designated for persons with disabilities has an easily identifiable and trackable number that is tied to a vehicle owner. On the other hand, a placard is meant to be portable, allowing disabled Iowans to move them among vehicles they ride in.
A placard should be turned in to the state when the person it was issued to no longer needs it. However, that doesn’t always happen. Sometimes these placards fall into the hands of unauthorized people who park in spots that should be available to disabled Iowans.
Requiring placard renewal will better ensure proper use. This bill applies to new placards issued starting in 2017. All non-expiring placards issued before then will be grandfathered in.
People also need to remember that these placards are to REMOVED from your mirror BEFORE you start driving. On the old cards, it is printed on the cards in the instructions. The new cards should have “Remove while driving” on them in large red print. Having them hanging from your mirror creates a large area that your view is obstructed. This is a safety hazard for pedestrians, bicyclists, other drivers, and motorcyclists. Please remove them while you’re driving.
I have a card, if you saw me get out of the car youd think maybe what is wrong with him. well I have a back condition and after walking a few minutes the pain in my lower back is really bad and my leg goes numb from the hip to the ankle. so parking a few feet closer really helps me. once in the store and get a cart for a crutch im alright. so now if any of you want to trade me my pain and numbness for the card please let me know, gladly give it to you.
problem is people who are using a lot of them, they don’t belong to them, they have them in their car to use when they take “granny” shopping and use them when “granny” isn’t with them, its the law that the person that signs the placqards has to be in the vehicle. I watched many young persons park in the handicap at Walmart and put a card on the mirror, one night two girls less then 20 got out of a car and horseplayeed all the way to the store, im sure that grannys card was hanging on the mirror. NEEDS TO BE A REAL ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS. SOME ONE NEEDS TO PRINT THE LAW AND WHAT U CAN AND CANT DO WITH A CARD.
I agree with you. Enforce the laws and it will stop. Do not take away a needed benefit. These people who think it is easy have no idea how difficult it is for a lot of people.
To many retired people have them just because they think they need it. I have been confronted many times by older people about handicap parking because I’m much younger. But when I get out with my forearm crutches they just walk away. I’m a disabled veteran. Yet they move fine and run into places when it’s raining. I know someone who uses a card that was issued to a family member who now is gone.
Have they though how hard it is for some people to go to the courthouse to get these placecards. That is why they are lifetime. What part of handicapped is so hard to understand?
Well, if someone is able to get to stores and restaurants (hence the parking cards and license plates), they can get to the Courthouse.
Here’s a placard that LVS is elegible for.
http://i0.wp.com/fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/049/7/b/7b5af51758a396ceef7ed3954b97088c-d4q7oq0.png
If you can’t get out to make it to the court house once a year then you probably don’t need a parking permit
I got mine at the driver’s license place by Sears. You don’t need to go to the courthouse.
This is a good idea and I hope it works. Many times I have seen a person park in the handicap area, only to get out and walk better then I do.
Its amazing how your gait steadies when you take anti nausea medication (in this case topical cream) following a round or two of chemo therapy. I invite you to try it sometime Allen!
Been there, done that. So basically what you are saying is that some people are only part time handicapped.
I’m saying that in a matter of months the parking card wont be necessary due to the terminal nature of the disease. Be thankful that you have a future ahead of you, which you may use to judge others as you wish.
So you know exactly what my future is.