ORLANDO, Fla. — Mount Dora police are actively cracking down on drivers who misuse disabled parking placards, aiming to educate the public about proper usage.
Alex Holloway pushes his wife, Shelly, in a wheelchair as they prepare for holiday shopping. “It gets tiring,” he says. Today, they had to park farther away because all the disabled parking spots were occupied.
Shelly tells us, “It’s very disappointing and it’s frustrating and it’s tiring for him to go round and round looking for a place that we actually need.”
And they are not the only ones. Mt Dora police confiscated over 30 handicap placards being used unlawfully and issued 70 citations during a two-day span.
Mt Dora Police Officer Keith Vidler says, “One of the biggest excuses is my dad told me I could use it, or my mom told me I can use it and what they don’t realize, in the state of Florida it is a crime.”
Officers state that using someone else’s placard without their presence is a criminal offense. The permit has a yellow sticker showing the holder’s birthday month and driver’s license number, which match the holder’s identification.
According to Officer Ariel D’Angelillo, “The placard is assigned to the person with a disability.”
“They have to be present at the time they’re in the space.” Violators could be arrested or face a hefty state fine of $183. In the city of Mt. Dora, police also have the option to fine drivers an additional $250. Fines can range from $1,000 to up to six months in jail.
Officer Keith Vidler, Mt Dora Police Department, says, “I just don’t like the fact that it’s people being lazy.” Shelly is grateful, “I’m glad that the police are doing such a good job. I hope everyone who uses a fake one will be caught.”
Drivers with two violations risk losing their disabled placard, which may be revoked by the DMV.
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