Handicapped Placards Given Two at a Time

DO EXTRA PLACARDS ENCOURAGE FRAUD? A.J. called to report he recently went in to get a new handicapped placard, and he was surprised when he was asked how many he wanted.

And while he asked for and received three, he later questioned if that generosity simply encourages fraudulent use, since he was under the impression drivers are supposed to keep the placard with them if they switch vehicles.

S.U. Mahesh is spokesman for the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, which is over the Motor Vehicle Division. He says handing out more than two placards to an individual is against state statute.

“We offer one or two placards, not more,” he says, citing 66-3-16(C). ” ‘Upon written application to the division accompanied by a medical statement by a licensed physician attesting to the permanent significant mobility limitation, a resident of the state who has a significant mobility limitation, as provided in this section, may apply for and be issued no more than two parking placards for display upon a motor vehicle registered to the person or motor vehicle owned by another person who is transporting the person with a significant mobility limitation.’ ”

Mahesh explains that “many people have two vehicles, perhaps drive one but often ride as passenger in another, in which it is convenient to keep their placards, rather than having to remember to take the placard with them every time they switch vehicles.”

CAN I WARN MVD ABOUT A QUESTIONABLE DRIVER? Cori called to ask why New Mexico does not require drivers to take a road test after age 75, when license renewals are required annually.

She says a neighbor keeps running into cars and mailboxes and trash cans with her huge car but won’t give up her license. Cori wants to be able to alert someone at MVD that this driver’s skills behind the wheel need to be re-evaluated. So can she?

Yes.

Mahesh says, “She can address a letter of concern to MVD, with sufficient detail — say name, address and vehicle plate number — to identify the driver in question. We do not act on anonymous tips, but the letter writer’s name is kept confidential by MVD.”

WHY DOESN’T MVD TALK TO POLICE? And Marilee called to say she recently was the victim of a hit-and-run when a driver blew a stop sign at Lomas, and while she was able to get a license plate number, when police ran it they said they didn’t get “a hit” on it and couldn’t do a search because they lack access to MVD’s records.

“That is not correct,” Mahesh says. “Law enforcement does have access to MVD driver and vehicle records. They may not be free to provide that information — as protected personal information — to the victim, but they certainly have access to it for their investigation of the hit-and-run.”

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO FIX A FREEWAY WALL? Dale Rechtenbach emails that question.

“On westbound I-40 just west of the Tramway on-ramp is a section of the noise reduction wall that has been removed for what seems like several years,” he says. “Has it been forgotten about, or is there a plan to get the panel reinstalled?”

It wasn’t and there is.

Phil Gallegos, who handles information for the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s District 3 Office, says “good timing for this question.”

“The portion of wall your reader describes was damaged about two years ago when it was struck by a vehicle. The wall was installed well before that, and replacing one panel to match the original design was more complicated than expected. Our ability to repair the wall was somewhat hindered by our procurement process for this one-of-a-kind special project.

“The good news is that we are within a few weeks of having a new matching panel installed.”

Assistant editorial page editor D’Val Westphal tackles commuter issues for the Metro area on Mondays and West Siders and Rio Ranchoans on Thursdays. Reach her at 823-3858; road@abqjournal.com; P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, NM 87103; or go to ABQjournal.com/traffic to read previous columns and join in the conversation.
— This article appeared on page A6 of the Albuquerque Journal