Handicap Placard Abuse Prevention Week

The Duxbury Police Department will be participating in the Commonwealth-wide Handicap Placard Abuse Prevention Week to help reduce the misuse of placards statewide.

Placard Abuse Prevention Week begins May 6, 2017 and runs through May 13, 2017.

Officers will be patrolling parking lots and shopping plazas for expired and/or misused placards. Violators may be issued a citation or parking ticket, and officers will send the placard’s information to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) for confiscation.

Placard owners/holders can face penalties even if they are not present at the time of misuse.

Past enforcement efforts has revealed several patterns of abuse: using a placard that belonged to a deceased relative; using a spouse’s placard without the spouse present; using an expired placard; and using placards with altered expiration dates

In January, the RMV revamped its placard application to deter abuse and raise awareness of abuse with the medical community.

With the improved data sharing, the RMV is now automatically cancelling placards upon death notification and requesting placards of deceased individuals be returned by their estate.

If you know of or witness someone abusing a handicap placard or plate, call the Duxbury Police Department at 781-934-5656 or visit the RMV online to fill out a form.