Contact: Office of Public Affairs
2415 First Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95818
(916) 657–6437 | dmvpublicaffairs@dmv.ca.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 5, 2018
Sacramento – An aggressive crackdown on the fraudulent use of disabled person parking placards resulted in 2,485 misdemeanor citations being issued between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. Investigators with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) caught the offenders during 256 enforcement operations throughout the state. During the prior fiscal year, 1,625 citations were handed out during 165 operations.
Offenders have their placard confiscated and receive a misdemeanor citation that carries a $250 to $1,000 fine. The violation also appears on their driver record.
“We want Californians to understand that a disabled person parking placard can only be used by the person to whom it’s assigned,” DMV Director Jean Shiomoto said. “When you illegally use a placard, you disrupt the lives of those with disabilities and interfere with their mobility. I ask you to save the space.”
Last year, the DMV increased its enforcement efforts by holding as many as 24 operations each month. It also launched an awareness campaign to educate the public about the proper use of a disabled person parking placard.
“Through education and compliance, we hope to issue fewer citations,” Acting Investigations Chief Mary Bienko said. “We will keep up our enforcement efforts until Californians stop fraudulently using disabled person parking placards.”
Here are the results of enforcement operations during Fiscal Year 2017/18:
| Fiscal Year 2017/18 | Citations Issued | Drivers Contacted |
|---|---|---|
| Fiscal Year 2017/18July | Citations Issued170 | Drivers Contacted1,596 |
| Fiscal Year 2017/18August | Citations Issued145 | Drivers Contacted1,676 |
| Fiscal Year 2017/18September | Citations Issued555 | Drivers Contacted3,700 |
| Fiscal Year 2017/18October | Citations Issued135 | Drivers Contacted1,622 |
| Fiscal Year 2017/18November | Citations Issued171 | Drivers Contacted2,016 |
| Fiscal Year 2017/18December | Citations Issued150 | Drivers Contacted2,106 |
| Fiscal Year 2017/18January | Citations Issued185 | Drivers Contacted1,822 |
| Fiscal Year 2017/18February | Citations Issued153 | Drivers Contacted1,582 |
| Fiscal Year 2017/18March | Citations Issued167 | Drivers Contacted2,050 |
| Fiscal Year 2017/18April | Citations Issued381 | Drivers Contacted4,951 |
| Fiscal Year 2017/18May | Citations Issued133 | Drivers Contacted1,574 |
| Fiscal Year 2017/18June | Citations Issued140 | Drivers Contacted1,548 |
| Fiscal Year 2017/18Totals | Citations Issued2,485 | Drivers Contacted26,243 |
Statistics show that, on average, one out of 10 people who DMV investigators contacted in the past 12 months were either illegally using a disabled person parking placard or parking in a disabled spot without a placard. The high number of citations issued in September is attributed to an enforcement effort at the Los Angeles County Fair and in April to a crackdown at the Coachella and Stagecoach musical festivals in Indio. Large sporting and music events typically attract offenders who seek prime parking that is often offered at no cost.
The following results are from enforcement operations held in June 2018:
| Date | City | Citations Issued | Drivers Contacted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date6/5 | CityDelano | Citations Issued3 | Drivers Contacted29 |
| Date6/6 | CityOxnard | Citations Issued18 | Drivers Contacted85 |
| Date6/7 | CityOroville | Citations Issued12 | Drivers Contacted85 |
| Date6/12 | CityLivermore | Citations Issued3 | Drivers Contacted85 |
| Date6/12 | CityRohnert Park | Citations Issued2 | Drivers Contacted60 |
| Date6/13 | CityHawthorne | Citations Issued7 | Drivers Contacted61 |
| Date6/13 | CitySan Diego | Citations Issued9 | Drivers Contacted160 |
| Date6/14 | CityNorthridge | Citations Issued5 | Drivers Contacted40 |
| Date6/16 | CitySacramento | Citations Issued8 | Drivers Contacted92 |
| Date6/19 | CityAlhambra | Citations Issued7 | Drivers Contacted60 |
| Date6/19 | CityIrvine | Citations Issued4 | Drivers Contacted31 |
| Date6/19 | CityRedwood City | Citations Issued4 | Drivers Contacted116 |
| Date6/19 | CityWatsonville/Capitola | Citations Issued1 | Drivers Contacted30 |
| Date6/20 | CityChula Vista | Citations Issued7 | Drivers Contacted111 |
| Date6/20 | CityMountain View | Citations Issued4 | Drivers Contacted90 |
| Date6/20 | CityOceanside | Citations Issued2 | Drivers Contacted82 |
| Date6/20 | CityPomona | Citations Issued7 | Drivers Contacted55 |
| Date6/21 | CityTracy | Citations Issued8 | Drivers Contacted50 |
| Date6/25 | CityFresno | Citations Issued2 | Drivers Contacted73 |
| Date6/26 | CityLos Angeles | Citations Issued14 | Drivers Contacted60 |
| Date6/27 | CityRancho Cucamonga | Citations Issued5 | Drivers Contacted91 |
| Date6/28 | CityWalnut Park | Citations Issued8 | Drivers Contacted39 |
| DateTotals: | City22 operations | Citations Issued140 | Drivers Contacted1,548 |
Anyone who suspects a person might be misusing a disabled person placard is urged to report it using an online complaint form or by contacting their local DMV Investigations office. Submissions are confidential. It is important to note that some qualifying disabilities are not visually apparent and allegations of misuse might be unfounded.
Download promotional materials for use in newscasts and social media here.
Jaime Garza
DMV Spokesperson
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