Figure 1
Figure 1 is a table with text and images related to the various types of disabled person parking placards and license plates available in California. There are three types of disabled person parking placards: permanent, temporary, and travel. Permanent placards are blue with a symbol representing a person in a wheelchair and the year the placard expires. The description: a permanent placard is a placard that has a fixed expiration date of June 30 every odd-numbered year that the DMV issues to a permanently disabled person who meets the disability requirements in state law. Travel and Temporary placards are red with a symbol representing a person in a wheelchair and month, day, and year indicators that identify when the placards expire. The description: a temporary placard is a placard that the DMV issues for a maximum of six months to a temporarily disabled person meeting the disability requirements in state law. Individuals may renew temporary placards up to six consecutive times. A travel placard is a temporary placard that the DMV issues to permanently disabled people meeting the disability requirements in state law. The DMV issues this placard to nonresidents for no more than 90 days and to California residents for no more than 30 days. It is for situations where a placard holder would not have the original placard available. For example, the placard holder leaves a car parked at an airport but also needs a placard for a rental vehicle at their California destination. Disabled license plates have a symbol representing a person in a wheelchair followed by five digits and the letters DP on the far right. This is a special license plate the DMV issues to permanently disabled vehicle owners. It is only valid on the vehicle it is assigned to. Disabled veteran license plates look the same as regular disabled license plates but have the letters DV on the far right. This is a special license plate the DMV issues to permanently disabled owners of vehicles who are veterans of the armed services. The State does not assess vehicles with these plates an annual vehicle license fee.
Figure 2
Figure 2 is a pie chart showing the distribution of the different types of disabled parking placards. In the center of the chart, the total number of disabled person parking placards and plates is listed as 2,911,000 as of June 30, 2016. Of this amount, 83 percent, or 2.4 million, are permanent placards. Another 4 percent, or 130,000, are temporary placards and 13 percent, or 381,000, are disabled person or disabled veteran license plates. We note that an individual may own multiple disabled person or veteran license plates and a single disabled person parking placard.
Figure 3
Figure 3 is a pie chart showing the distribution of the different disability categories listed on a representative sample of applications for disabled person parking placards and license plates. The pie chart is split into eight sections, with two sections dominating the chart. The Substantially Impaired Mobility category was listed on 40 percent of the applications we reviewed, and the Significant Limitation in Use of Lower Extremities, was also listed on 40 percent of the applications we reviewed. The remaining 20 percent of applications were divided among the remaining six categories. Unable to Move Without an Assistive Device was listed on seven percent of applications and Severe Lung Disease and Severe Cardiovascular Disease were on four percent of applications each. Loss, or Loss of Use, of Both Lower Extremities, and Legally Blind, were each listed on two percent of the applications. Finally, Loss, or Loss of the Use, of Both Hands was listed on one percent of applications in our representative sample.
Figure 4
Figure 4 is a pie chart showing the distribution of different medical provider types who certified a representative sample of applications for disabled person parking placards and license plates. The pie chart is divided into five sections, with one section dominating the chart. The Physician and Surgeon provider type certified 85 percent of the applications we reviewed. We note that four percent of providers werelicensed by the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, but state law considers them physicians and surgeons. The chart also includes Podiatrists, who certified five percent of the applications in our sample, Chiropractors, who certified four percent, Physician’s Assistants who certified four percent, and Nurse Practitioners who certified two percent of the applications DMV approved. We note that state law authorizes optometrists and nurse midwives to certify disabilities on applications for placards and plates, but none appeared in our sample.
Figure 5
Figure 5 is a flow chart of the death registration process and how DMV cancels the placards of deceased persons. The process begins when funeral homes and coroners initiate and submit death certificates to a Local Registration District, which we indicate with an upload graphic. The Local Registration District then registers the death certificate and sends to the California Department of Public Heath, or Public Health, which we indicate with a download graphic. Public Health registers the death certificate and produces a monthly vital statistics file, or file, for the DMV. Public health sends the file to the DMV via a secure transfer. DMV then matches the file to a list of current disabled parking placard holders. If there is a match, DMV cancels the placard of deceased holders.