Many people are still unaware of a law passed last year which makes it illegal for anyone to park in or overlap the access aisle. This is the area, usually marked with yellow or white slash lines, parallel to and between handicap parking spaces. It is now illegal for even those with a handicapped license or placard to park in these specific spots and is now punishable with a fine.  In addition, the new law allows a disabled driver or an assistant to  send a picture of the  offending vehicle to the police department in the town where the offense took place, along with a sworn statement as to the time, exact location, etc, so that a ticket can be issued by  local law enforcement officials.
      Why is this new law so important? The        answer is simple but important to those with   walking disabilities or disabled drivers. Access aisles allow those in wheelchairs and with other difficulties to fully open a door, lift or ramp on their vehicle and to enter or exit safely. Many have exited their vehicles only to return later and been blocked by a car parked in or overlapping the access area and been prevented from re-entering their car. They can spend hours tracking down the individuals which can be tiring and stressful. It happens with great frequency. It has also been observed that many older drivers, as well as disabled drivers themselves, are the worst offenders. They often mistakenly believe owning a wheelchair plate or placard allows them to park anywhere and are not aware as to the  important purpose of the "access aisle".
      The fine for parking in or overlapping into the access aisle is $50 for the first offense and      increases by $100 for each additional offense.
The fine for parking illegally in an accessible parking space is $250. Parking illegally in an   accessible space means that:

• There is no wheelchair plate or placard on the vehicle, or,
  
• The person parking in the accessible parking space does not have a walking disability and is not the person to whom the plate or         placard is issued.
  

     The regulations for obtaining a "wheelchair" plate or placard for a vehicle vary from state to state. The following information is valid for      Vermont.
     Wheelchair placards are issued to individuals who are blind or who have an ambulatory disability. A  licensed physician must complete and sign a "Universal Medical Form" to be submitted to the VT Dept of Motor Vehicles.  The DMV will    issue the plate or placard if the applicant is found to qualify. A new medical application must be submitted every four years in the case of a placard, and at every third registration renewal for plates (but in no case greater than every four years).
An "ambulatory disability" includes people who:

• Cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest; or
  
• Cannot walk without assistance from a person, prosthetic device, wheelchair or other assistive device; or
  
• Is restricted by lung disease to such an extent that the person's forced respiratory expiratory volume for one second, when measured by spirometry, is less than 1 liter, or the arterial oxygen tension is less than 60mm/hg on room air at rest; or
  
• Uses portable oxygen; or
  
• Has a cardiac condition classified in severity as Class III or Class IV according to standards set by the American Heart Association; or
  
• Is severely limited in his/her ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological or orthopedic condition.