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Why Might I Not be Eligible for a Disabled Parking Permit?
Why Might I Not be Eligible for a Disabled Parking Permit? Back in 1990, it was President Bush that signed the Americans with Disabilities into law.
This was a real game changer for anyone in America living with a disability. The ADA is meant to provide a great deal of protection to any individual who has a disability. The ADA is also designed to ensure that no person with a disability is discriminated against. This is a law unlike any other that has ever been enacted when it comes to protecting the rights of those who are disabled. One of the many benefits and provisions contained within the Americans with Disabilities Act is the right to obtain a handicapped parking permit.
Prior to the ADA becoming law, individuals who were disabled found it difficult to gain access to public and private spaces from the existing parking lot. They would often end up having to park too far away from the entrance or otherwise have no access to the building through which their wheelchair could get through. By gaining access to a special parking placard. handicapped individuals no longer have to worry about this reality. All venues with a public parking lot of a certain size are now required to have a certain number of parking spaces that are designated specifically for handicapped individuals. The spaces themselves are also required to be a bit bigger in size than normal parking spaces. This provides the space in which disabled individuals can more easily get from their car to the building.
All disabled designated parking spaces must be within a reasonably short distance of the entrance of the building that the parking lot is designed to provide access to. This allows handicapped individuals to be able to get from their car to the building with minimal effort. Because of this, a handicapped parking placard is necessary if you want to perform many of the daily and routine errands that life is filled with. Such a permit is valid not only for a person who is driving but also for a passenger. So, that is something to keep in mind.
In order to be issued a handicapped parking permit, certain qualifications must be met. The specific criteria may differ slightly from one state to another, but most of the qualifications are quite similar. On the whole, one of the following conditions should qualify you for a handicapped parking placard:
- Individuals who need help when walking, such as with the assistance of a cane or a wheelchair
- Individuals who must take a portable oxygen tank with them when they are walking
- Individuals who have prosthetic limbs
- Individuals who are legally blind or have verified limited vision
This is by no means meant to be an exhaustive list of what qualifies someone to be issued a handicapped parking permit. There are a number of conditions that would qualify you for such a permit. Remember that people react to disabilities in different ways. If you are unable to walk more than a short distance due to a disability, no matter if others can see what is wrong with you or not, then you should fight for your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. There are a number of different diseases or medical conditions that can make it difficult to use your arms or legs in such a way that permits you to easily walk long distances. An amputation, for example, could qualify you for a disabled parking permit in virtually any state. There are also some states that will issue you a permit based on a joint disorder or carpal tunnel syndrome. If you have a question about your specific disability and whether it qualified for a disabled parking placard, you simply need to contact your local DMV office.
People with vision problems often find it problematic when applying for a disabled parking permit. This is primarily because each state views this type of disability differently. While individuals with a severe visual impairment are generally not permitted to drive, this does not mean that they can easily without assistance. Because of this, the ADA stipulates that such individuals should qualify for a disabled parking permit, even though they will primarily be a passenger. This is because such individuals need to be able to have easy and quick access to buildings from the parking lot. Every state has slightly different qualifications when determining how severe the visual impairment must be prior to being issued a disabled parking placard. Some states set the bar at 20/200 vision, while others are a bit less strict.
Mobility issues can be caused by a variety of medical conditions. If you have such a disability, you should almost certainly qualify for a disabled parking permit. The key is to determine how far you can easily walk without having to take a break or needing someone else to help you. Some states will issue you the permit if you cannot walk more than 50 feet, while others will require that it be 200 feet. You will want to check with the Department of Motor Vehicles office in. your state to determine what criteria you must meet if you have mobility issues.
While others can clearly see if you have a problem with mobility, there are other medical conditions that are not so easily noticed but can still qualify you for a disabled parking placard. One example is if you suffer from some type of heart problem. Because there are so many different levels of such conditions, it is important to know where you fall on the spectrum. The American Heart Association has developed four classes of conditions that describe individuals who are suffering from some type of heart ailment. Class 3 and 4 would mean that you are unable to take walk very far at all without putting too much pressure on your heart. Because of that, those two classes will almost always qualify for a disabled parking placard. Depending on the state, being Class 1 or 2 might not qualify you for the permit.
What all of this information means is that you will want to check with your particular state to determine what qualifies a person to be issued a disabled parking placard. While not everyone will qualify, it is important to fight for your rights if you do. You can go online to your state's DMV website to determine what documentation you need to show in order to demonstrate that you qualify for such a parking decal. You owe it to yourself to make sure that you have ready access to the buildings and facilities that you rely on the most. Why Might I Not be Eligible for a Disabled Parking Permit?
