Iowa drivers with handicapped parking permits are being warned of a safety hazard, and the head of the Transportation Committee in the Iowa House is taking steps to fix it.
The House has approved a measure by Osage Republican Josh Byrnes that will redesign the parking placards so it’s clearer they should be taken down while driving.
“It’s an obstruction to the vision of the driver,” Byrnes says. “It's been brought to my attention from bicyclists and motorcyclists. Because they're smaller than a car or truck, it’s harder to see those folks.”
Byrnes says the warning on Iowa permits is too small for many people to notice.
“We’re trying to make it more evident,” Byrnes says. “This is a safety issue.”
The new Iowa placard will be modeled after one in Arizona where the advisory is more obvious.
Another bill this year also deals with handicapped parking permits. That bill eliminates lifetime permits, and requires drivers to renew every five years with verification from a doctor.