Baby on Board: Why States Should Embrace Pro-Family Parking

Welcoming a new child is a joy. The physical symptoms of pregnancy? Not so much. While the exact level of inconvenience varies from mom to mom, most would agree that those last three months are generally considered to be a slog, especially in the often sweltering heat of July. Even a quick grocery store run, or park outing with soon-to-be big brothers or sisters, will inevitably involve a certain baseline level of physical discomfort that no doctor, policymaker, or supportive spouse will be able to do much about. 

But that doesn’t mean we can’t take steps to make it a little easier. And given that America has already made a national commitment to make parking a little easier for the disabled and mobility-impaired, the time has come to incorporate accommodations for pregnant and new moms in the system as well. 

The idea is simple. Baby on board? You get preferred parking. 

Caption: Hangtag mockup by Patrick T. Brown, assisted by Microsoft Copilot

Pregnancy itself is not legally considered a disability, and changing the law to make it so would open up a can of worms that might make our policy goal of supporting pregnant moms politically unachievable. But broadening the category of who is eligible for a parking placard does not require lawmakers to revisit the Americans with Disabilities Act. States rely on uniform parking permitting guidelines from the federal government, but routinely make their own decisions about how to interpret and implement them. 

Making pregnant women categorically eligible for a temporary parking permit for their final three months of pregnancy and first three months of postpartum recovery is a pro-life, pro-family policy that an intrepid state lawmaker could pass without relying on D.C. to do anything. 

While every state’s Department of Motor Vehicles operates differently, the process is broadly similar. People interested in obtaining a disability placard must have a doctor or registered nurse sign off on their application, indicating the cause, severity, and expected duration of their mobility limitation. Adjusting the application process to allow for six months of temporary disability parking privileges for expectant and new moms would be a tangible, and visible, sign of social support for women when they are at their most physically vulnerable. 

A 'Baby on Board' parking hangtag would be another gentle reminder to other drivers to be kind; it could even be the basis for discounts or other benefits from retailers. 

Florida has already adopted a version of this approach, with a new state law allowing women to present a doctor’s note certifying pregnancy at the DMV and receive a one-year temporary disability parking permit. New York and Illinois also allow pregnant women in the later stages of pregnancy to apply for a disability parking permit valid until the baby is born. 

But other states across the country should make this a priority—including encouraging OBs and other health care providers to make applying for this benefit a standard part of check-ins in the latter stages of pregnancy. And creating a maternity-specific parking placard could help make our commitment to supporting moms slightly more visible. 

Symbolism matters for how people think about motherhood and family life. If you’re pregnant and riding the Tube in London, you can get a complimentary “Baby on Board” pin from the transit agency, a subtle sign to others who might be more inclined to offer their seats or make room. A “Baby on Board” parking hangtag would be another gentle reminder to other drivers to be kind; it could even be the basis for discounts or other benefits from retailers. 

We could get even more creative about meeting families’ needs in transportation policy, as a recent memo from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy suggested. In Texas, members of the state House passed a measure allowing all mothers, either expectant or current parents, to use the state’s high-occupancy vehicle lanes by a bipartisan vote of 130-2 (unfortunately, it failed to come up for a vote in the Senate before the end of the legislation session.) Yes, enforcement might have been a little tricky, but allowing moms to show an ultrasound printout or iPhone camera rolls full of tee-ball action shots should be more than enough to allow her to get back on the road (as if a minivan full of Cheerio crumbs would not be evidence enough!). 

But overall, it wouldn’t require change on that scale to make American transportation just that much more family-friendly. Beginning with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, parking lots have been required to set aside a certain number of conveniently-located spots for those with conditions that make it harder to get around. 

It’s not even uncommon to see reserved parking for Wounded Warriors or electric vehicles, and raising a family should likewise be worthy of social approbation. Wegmans, the northeastern grocery chain with a cult following, is known for setting aside parking spaces for parents managing toddlers and strollers. More retailers and localities should follow suit, like Rhode Island did in 2022: the state now requires all parking lots with 101 spaces or more to set aside a minimum of two near the front as designated, stroller-friendly parking for parents with young kids.

There will always grumbles of discontent by free marketeers who dislike the growth of the civil rights state; louder ones still about people who abuse the process. But disability-parking spots aren’t going anywhere; they recognize the real limitations of seniors and others who need a little bit of forbearance from the rest of society to help them fully participate. Pregnant women, and the precious cargo they carry, deserve similar levels of social support—and focusing our efforts around that most vulnerable half-year should tamp down fears of gaming the system.  

In the anonymity of the parking lot, one car looks just like another, meaning that anyone who would be more than willing to offer a chivalrous gesture to a woman who needs some assistance has no way of knowing she needs the boost ahead of time. A pregnancy-specific placard would signal a state’s eagerness to support moms and celebrate new life. It would be a new way of living out a timeless civilizational principle: that those with babies on board deserve to be at the front of the line. 

Patrick T. Brown (@PTBwrites) is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where he writes the weekly “Family Matters” newsletter. 

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or views of the Institute for Family Studies.

*Photo credit: Shutterstock