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## RESERVED PARKING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 

Parking reserved for persons with disabilities is a legal requirement. These special parking spaces for motorists with disabilities ensure safe and equal access to goods and services, access 

which is taken for granted by many persons. You can park in reserved spaces only if you have a permit or vehicle plates for persons with disabilities and only when the person who received the permit or vehicle plates is in the vehicle. 

It is illegal for any vehicle to park, stop or stand in a space 

reserved for the disabled unless it has vehicle plates for the disabled issued by the DMV, a New York State Parking Permit for the Disabled issued by a city, town, county or village or a similar vehicle plate or permit issued by another state. The vehicle must be in operation to transport the disabled person described in the registration or permit. This law applies to spaces reserved and provided by local ordinance on streets and high- ways and those held for special use by state law in shopping centers that have five or more stores and 20 or more off-street public parking spaces. 

It is a misdemeanor to make a false statement or give false information on an application for vehicle plates. If you make a false statement or provide false information to get a parking permit for a person with a disability, you face a fine from $250 to $1,000, plus a mandatory surcharge of $30 and possible civil penalties from $250 to $1,000. These penalties apply to the applicant and to a doctor who provides certification. 

To apply for vehicle plates for the disabled or for a NYS Parking Permit for the Disabled use the MV-664.1 Instructions and Application for a Parking Permit or License Plates for People with Severe Disabilities. 

Reserved spaces must be marked with signs like the one shown above, and also can be des- ignated with pavement markings. Do not park in the spaces with diagonal stripes next to reserved 

<img src='content_image/857894.jpg'>

parking areas. These spaces are needed to give access to those with wheelchairs and vehicles with special equipment. 

The fines for parking violations on a street are set by municipalities. Unless a municipality sets higher penalties, the fine for a shopping center violation is $50 to $75 for a first offense and $75 to $150 for a second offense within two years in the same municipality. A mandatory surcharge of $30 will be added to each penalty. 

## QUESTIONS 

Before you go on to Chapter 8, make sure you can answer these questions: 

• After you have parallel parked, how near to the curb must your vehicle be? 

• May you open a door on the road side of your vehicle if there is no oncoming traffic? 

• Before you leave a parking space, what should you do? 

• What does a NO STOPPING sign mean? 

• Can you stop to load or drop off passengers at a NO STANDING or NO PARKING sign? 

• May you park on a crosswalk in the middle of a block? 

