Pittsburgh-Area Rep. Wants Stricter Rules For Handicapped Parking Abuse

POSTED: 2:56 pm EST December 13, 2007
UPDATED: 5:30 pm EST December 13, 2007

PITTSBURGH -- When you're looking for a parking space, it seems like everybody has one but you.

State Rep. Chelsa Wagner introduced legislation that she hopes could reduce the number of people illegally parking in handicapped parking spots.

With many people abusing the system, using other people's handicapped tags, Team 4's Jim Parsons decided to start confronting people in a February investigation.

Parsons found many people were using the spots when they weren’t in fact handicapped.

And that is why Wagner is proposing some changes.

The Allegheny County representative would like to make it harder to abuse disability parking.

Her plan is to redesign the disability placards to display the owner's photograph. She also wants people to be recertified every five years to ensure they still need the special license plate or placard.

Finally, she wants an increase to the fines for placard abuse.

The new proposed fine would be $250. The old fine was $100.

Wagner said she believes the $100 fine isn't enough to deter able-bodied people from abusing the special parking spots.

Both California and Florida enforce the $250 fine.

Wagner said she's fighting for the new changes, because the right to use the disabled spots is important in making life a little easier for people with disabilities.

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