People who illegally park in spaces reserved for those with disabilities deserve to be subjected to higher fines and have their vehicles towed.

The All University Traffic Committee released a report recently proposing an increase in the fine for parking in an accessible/handicap spot. The fine would double from $50 to $100.

The report also proposed increases for other parking violations such as parking at an expired meter or parking in a faculty/staff reserved spot.

Five hundred fifty-two of the 117,637 parking violations issued last year were for parking illegally in an accessible/handicap spot.

Parking may be a headache on MSU’s campus, but that is no excuse to park in a spot that is reserved for people with disabilities.

Accessible/handicap spots are reserved for a reason. While those affected by illegal parking in these spots are relatively few, it affects them to a greater degree. Drivers who are able to traverse a longer distance from their cars to a building should; convenience is no reason to take these spots.

While many who park in those spots may not be doing so in a malicious manner, they should be more considerate of who has the right to park there. Even if parking is hard to find, those who aren’t allowed to park in those spots should look elsewhere for parking.

The large increase in the fine for this is justifiable. While it is not right to park in a spot reserved for a faculty or staff member, displacing them is less heinous than displacing a person with a disability who may need that spot. MSU drivers should make every effort to park within the confines of the law, but if they are going to park illegally, they should make efforts not to hurt those who are disabled.

A raise in the fine may make people more aware of where they are parking. Mistakes may be made and drivers may be in a hurry, but a $100 ticket may make them think twice before parking in an accessible/handicap spot again. The fine may also deter people who were considering parking in them to avoid doing so.

This is also a moral issue. While making a professor a little late to class may not weigh too heavily on one’s conscience, forcing a person with a disability to drive around to find an open spot or to travel longer than necessary should impart large pangs of guilt on someone. A few extra minutes of walking is not too much to ask of someone who is fully capable of doing so.

The MSU Board of Trustees should approve this increase to help combat illegal parking - especially in spots reserved for people with disabilities.

The proposal to increase parking fines, particularly those on illegal parking in accessible/handicap spots, should be passed and enforced. The spots are reserved because people need them, not just as a convenience. People who park illegally in these spots deserve to be punished.

Parking on campus may be a trying experience, but it doesn’t have to result in hurting those who need the reserved spots the most.