Taking aim at fraudsters

It’s past time for Beacon Hill to crack down on abuse of handicapped parking permits, which are issued by the state Registry of Motor Vehicles. The bill won initial approval in the Senate last week and the House should sign onto the effort.

The point of a crackdown on placard abuse isn’t solely to punish the abusers — who are really the lowest of the low, whether they use fraudulent means to secure a permit or use one obtained legitimately by a disabled friend or relative (in some cases a dead friend or relative).

No, the point of discouraging abuse is also to free up parking spaces for folks who have legitimate mobility issues and have to compete with the cheaters for a spot.

The Herald and other media outlets have documented abuses ad nauseam over the years. The Senate bill would empower the RMV to require documentation when a person applies for a handicapped plate or placard (that such documentation is not currently required is mind-boggling). The current application does require that a medical provider certify the need for a handicapped plate or placard, but no supporting records are needed.

The bill also hikes penalties for abuse of a plate or placard, to a 90-day license suspension for a first offense (up from 30), 120 days for a second offense and a year for a third offense.

One issue the bill doesn’t address — a person who holds a handicapped placard is entitled to park at a metered spot all day without moving, and without paying the meter fee. It’s wellintended, but when a placard abuser slides into that spot he’s effectively stealing it from drivers. It would be worth exploring a policy that asks a person with mobility problems to pay some fee to park at a meter all day — another disincentive to those who abuse the system.

The state can only do so much; cities and towns also need to commit to vigilant enforcement of parking laws. And drivers who dare cheat the system really ought to do some soul-searching.