SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - The state's Department of Motor Vehicles is cracking down on illegal uses of disabled person parking placards in San Diego.
California's DMV carried out the enforcement operation Tuesday at six businesses across San Diego. Of the 369 people investigated with Disabled Person Parking Placards (DPPP), 16 were discovered to be using them illegally.
Those found using them fraudulently were issued misdemeanor citations.
"The DMV proactively carries out these types of enforcement operations throughout the year in an effort to reduce the impact that Disabled Placard fraud has on the mobility of those with disabilities," DMV Director Jean Shiomoto said. "The DMV also uses these enforcement efforts to help raise general awareness and educate Californians about the need for compliance and the consequences that come with violating the law."
The checks took place at the following locations:
- Costco - 101 Town Center Parkway, Santee
- Walmart - 170 Town Center Parkway, Santee
- Walmart - 75 North Broadway, Chula Vista
- Walmart - 13425 Community Road, Poway
- Costco - 12350 Carmel Mountain Road, San Diego
- Walmart - 710 Dennery Road, San Diego
Offenders will be required to appear in court and face possible fines ranging from $250 to $1,000, depending on the jurisdiction.
Over the past three fiscal years, investigators have conducted 270 enforcement operations and issued more than 2,000 citations, the CA DMV said. Officials say the amount of abuse of the placards varies from area to area.
"It is important to point out that some qualifying disabilities are not visually apparent and allegations of misuse may be unfounded," DMV Investigations Chief Frank Alvarez said. "The majority of Californians who apply for a DPPP have legitimate reasons for doing so."
The CA DMV said about 2.4 million residents are currently issued a permanent DPPP. Anyone who thinks someone is using a placard illegally is urged to contact their local DMV investigations office and submit a written complaint.
