Why would anyone knowingly put snow on a handicapped parking place and leave it there? I surely don’t have an answer for that, but apparently some are doing it because New York state has just passed a new law that prohibits this practice.

Effective Oct. 19, 2022, section 1203-e of Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL) is amended to add subdivision 2 that prohibits any firm, corporation, partnership, or association engaged in business or in furnishing any service in New York state (i.e. a contractor that plows a shopping center parking lot) to knowingly dump, shovel, or plow snow on a parking place for handicapped parking. The fine is no more than $125 for a first offense or $250 for each subsequent offense.

However, local or municipal governments may establish, by local law or ordinance, fines that are higher than established in subdivision two, but not exceeding $250 for the first offense nor $450 for each subsequent offense.

The bottom line here is don’t put snow on a handicapped parking place, no matter what. Isn’t that just common sense?

While this new law deals with putting snow on a handicapped parking space, I will take the opportunity to remind everyone that it is illegal to put glass or other injurious substances, including snow, upon any highway according to VTL section 1219. Every winter there is plenty of evidence of persons violating this law, either by shoveling, plowing, or blowing snow into the street or onto the highway. The snowplow may put snow from the street or highway into your driveway, but you can’t legally put it back onto the highway.