The Disability Services Office, in conjunction with the Adelaide City Council, would like to present to you a “Definitive Guide to Parking for People with a Disabled Person’s Parking Permit across the Adelaide CBD”
If you have a Disabled Person’s Parking Permit, whether it is temporary or permanent, you have a number of options available to you:
- A Disabled Person’s Parking Permit is valid for any vehicle provided it is being used for the transportation of the disabled person who is a holder of a permit.
- Having a Disabled Person’s Parking Permit displayed in the window allows the vehicle to be parked in disabled persons’ parking spaces which are sign posted and have the disabled symbol painted on the road surface or signs covering the area. If parking in a designated disabled parking zone the posted time limit applies (ie, no extra time).
- If you have a Disabled Person’s Parking Permit, you also have the option of parking in a non-disabled persons’ parking space. As long as you display the permit in the window, the vehicle may then be parked in any metered, ticketed space or time limit space of 15 minutes or more, for 90 minutes more than the time allowed for that space or for double the time that is allowed for that space (whichever of the two is greater in time).
- In conjunction with this, if you have parked on any ticketed kerbside non-disability parking space, you do not have to pay the fee for this park. You must pay for parking in off street car parks.
- You may not park in loading zones or non permissive zones.
- Disabled parking permit holders may be entitled to UPark vouchers.
Remember, in order to utilise these options your permit must be displayed inside the vehicle as near as possible to the registration label. Sounds confusing? Let’s go through some case studies to help clarify the situation…
Case Study 1
Dale wants to go shopping in town on Saturday. He finds a 2P parking space in Hindmarsh Square which will cost him $3.20 for 2 hours; however the space is not a designated disabled parking bay. Dale decides that the parking bay is close enough to his destination and that he will be able to gain access to and from his vehicle. As long as Dale displays his Disabled Person’s Parking Permit, he will not have to pay the $3.20 fee for the parking space and he can park in this space for a total of 4 hours instead of the normal 2 hours.
Case Study 2
Joy is having dinner in town with her family on Friday night. Joy has a Disabled Person’s Parking Permit, however she does not like to drive at night time so she is taken in to town by her family. As long as Joy is being transported by her family, she can display her Disabled Person’s Parking Permit in her family’s vehicle and they can utilise the same concessions that Joy gets with her own car.
As well as all of the concessions available for people with a Disabled Person’s Parking Permit, the Adelaide City Council provides (upon request and following clarification of eligibility) a voucher book containing 48 free 2-hour-parking vouchers (for use in certain Adelaide City Council U-Parks) per year.
We hope that this is of some assistance to you in your travels around the Adelaide CBD and that the parking situation has been clarified for people with a disability. Please visit the Adelaide City Council website at www.adelaidecitycouncil.com or call 8203 7203 (between Mon - Fri, 9am 5pm) for any further information about parking in the Adelaide CBD.
Parking permits are administered by Transport SA
Customer Service Centre, Adelaide: EDS Centre, 108 North Terrace, Adelaide 5000
Telephone: 13 10 84
Facsimile: (08) 8204 8308
TransportSA Web: www.transport.sa.gov.au/
*Source: Transport SA
Tagged: car park, parking permit, transport, Transport SA, vehicle
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The purpose of this information sheet is to try to answer some of the more common questions raised by drivers of self-propelled wheelchairs:
What is a self-propelled wheelchair?
It is a vehicle specifically designed and constructed (not merely adapted) for the transport of a person with some physical infirmity or disability. A self-propelled wheelchair has the following characteristics:
seating for one person only; and
capable of short low speed journeys only: and
an unladen mass not exceeding 250 kilograms.
Do I need to register and insure my self-propelled wheelchair?
No. Section 12a of the Motor Vehicles Act allows for a self-propelled wheelchair to be driven on a road without registration or insurance, provided the driver is a person who, because of some physical infirmity, reasonably requires the use of a wheelchair.
If I don’t need to register or insure my self-propelled wheelchair, what happens if I cause an accident which results in injury or damage to another person or their property?
As a service to members of the community with disabilities, the Motor Accident Commission provides drivers of self-propelled wheelchairs with ‘third party bodily injury insurance cover at no cost. No application for the insurance cover is necessary. However, the insurance only covers your legal liability for injury to other people as a result of an accident involving your wheelchair. It does not cover any injury you may sustain or cover the cost of any damage to your wheelchair, or damage to any other person’s vehicle or property. Most household insurance policies cover legal liability for injury to other persons or damage to their property, but it is unusual for the insurance to include accidental damage to your wheelchair. If you require cover for damage to your wheelchair, it is suggested that you seek advice from an insurance company.Do I need a driver’s licence to drive my self-propelled wheelchair?No. From May 1998, the Regulations under the Motor Vehicles Act exempt a person from the need to hold a drivers licence, provided the wheelchair is driven by a person who is entitled to drive a self-propelled wheelchair without registration and insurance.What road laws must I obey when driving my self-propelled wheelchair?’Drivers of self-propelled wheelchairs have the same responsibilities as other road users. This includes keeping to the left, observing traffic lights, stop signs, ‘Give Way’ signs, etc. When driving on a footpath, you must not exceed the speed limit of 10 km/h which applies to self-propelled wheelchairs.
BE SEEN - BE SAFE
One of the major difficulties faced by wheelchair drivers when driving on a road is being seen by other road users. This is due mainly to the size of the wheelchair relative to other vehicles. Driving on the footpath is a much safer alternative. However, if you need to drive on or over a road, it is recommended that you display a ‘bicycle flag’ on your wheelchair. These are available from most bicycle shops and will assist in making your wheelchair more visible to other road users. Although it is not recommended that you drive on the road at night, if you need to do so, you should wear bright clothing and display lights to the front and rear of the wheelchair (white light to front, red light to rear). The use of reflectorised tape and bicycle wheel inserts will also improve the visibility of the wheelchair.
Further Information
Further information or clarification can be obtained by telephoning Registration and Licensing’s ‘Information Helpline’ on 13 10 84 (8am - 6pm, Monday to Friday).
*Source: Transport SA
Tagged: law, mobility, transport, wheelchair
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