Probe finds misuse of handicap parking permits in Boston

BOSTON --State officials are promising to crack down on the abuse of handicap parking permits after a yearlong investigation found that nearly one-third of the placards found on cars parked in downtown Boston were being used by people who were not disabled.

The Registry of Motor Vehicles announced details of the probe at a news conference Monday.

"When we began looking into complaints we received about the handicap parking program we had no idea we'd find so many people taking advantage of the disabled," said Inspector General Gregory Sullivan, whose office participated in the investigation.

The probe focused on business districts where parking spaces are in high demand.

In many cases, officials said able-bodied motorists were displaying permits that legitimately belonged to friends and relatives.

Investigators found 49 placards that were being used even though the individuals they were registered to had died.

Anne L. Collins, registrar of motor vehicles, said it was hard to understand why someone would take a space away from a disabled person who might need it.

"It's appalling that people who have the mobility and means to use regular parking would exploit the handicap parking program," she said.

Violators confronted by state police were ordered to surrender their permits and pay a $500 fine. They also faced a 30-day suspension of their driver's licenses.

Collins said the registry has already taken steps to crack down on handicap parking scofflaws, including:

-- Conducting monthly cross-checks with the Social Security Administration to prevent renewals of placards of people who have died;

-- Reformatting disability placards to make it harder to obscure expiration dates;

-- Making it easier for people to report over the Internet suspected abuse of plates and parking spots.

There are currently 283,266 active handicap placards in the state.