So you’ve been driving around the mall parking lot for what seems like a decade. Every space is full, and every time you’re about to snag a slot, some sleek hot rod gets there first. But oh, those tempting handicapped parking spaces! You wonder… what does it take to get one of those? It’s especially aggravating when you see able-bodied people pull into their “handicapped” space, and walk briskly inside the store. How did THAT person qualify?
It’s a shame that some people abuse their right to use a disabled parking permit. However, I think that in most cases, individuals you see who appear “able” may actually have a condition not immediately obvious. My mother, for example, battled breast cancer for seven years. As her health deteriorated, she still tried to keep active. On one afternoon, the two of us wandered around a flea market, shopping for decorations for my new home. She had to sit down and catch her breath every ten or fifteen minutes. I remember when we first arrived, she pulled into a handicapped space. “Well, here’s one perk about having aggressive cancer,” she joked. “At least you’ve always got a place to park.”
Yeah, right, I thought. What a trade off. And I realized as we walked into the market that anyone observing us exiting the car may have wondered, how is it either of those women are handicapped? My mother’s cancer eventually invaded her lungs and brain, taking her life. I don’t think a special parking permit was too much to ask.
Some parents may not realize that disabled parking permits can be issued to them if their child has a qualifying disability. The child does not necessarily need to be wheelchair-bound to be eligible.
What disabilities typically qualify?
The primary issue is that the disability must impede mobility in some way. To receive a permit, the child would need special assistance getting from point A to point B. If, for example, the child has a chronic illness that seriously interferes with breathing, he might qualify. Here are some guidelines for acceptable conditions:
- Use of portable oxygen;
- Legal blindness;
- Limited use, or no use, of one or both legs;
- Inability to walk 200 feet without stopping;
- A neuro-muscular dysfunction that severely limits mobility;
- A heart condition which limits mobility;
- Severe limitation in the ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological or orthopedic condition;
- Restriction because of any kind of lung disease to such an extent that forced (respiratory) expiratory volume for one second, when measured by spirometry, is less than one liter, or the arterial oxygen tension is less than sixty mm/hg of room air at rest;
- Any other physical or mental impairment not previously listed which constitutes an equal degree of disability, and imposes unusual hardship in the use of public transportation and prevents the person from getting around without great difficulty.
(These qualifying conditions came from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.)
Yes, my child has one of these conditions. What should I do to get a permit?
You will need to get copies of medical records documenting your child’s disability, and take them to your local Department of Motor Vehicles. If they determine you are eligible, you will be provided with a disabled parking permit.
I have two cars that we typically use. Can I get two copies of the permit?
In most states, No. You must always transfer the permit to the vehicle you are currently using.
May I use the permit if my disabled child is not with me?
You can probably guess that the answer is No. The disabled individual must be in the vehicle for you to use the permit and park in a disabled parking space. This is only fair and right.
How do I get an actual disabled license plate and not a permit?
Typically these are issued when evidence is provided which shows that the disability is permanent. Check your local DMV for regulations in your state.
Disabled people would gladly trade their parking space for good health. Mobility is something a whole lot of people take for granted. So if you have to park on the opposite end of the lot, and walk across, be glad that you’re able to do so.