Posting status of multiple checkboxes

I have 3 checkboxes that are part of form and all i want to do is post this when the form is submitted. Everyother form item posts no problem but i cant get the checkbox status at all? WHat am i doing wrong, it seems to me they have to set in javascript but why when everything else on the form posts no problem?

code is :

    <div align="left"> <label><input type="checkbox" value="NO" name="signs" /> Non sign written</label></div>
<div align="left"> <label><input type="checkbox" value="NO" name="disabled" /> Disabled access</label></div>
<div align="left"> <label><input type="checkbox" value="NO" name="female" /> Female driver</label></div>

and the code in the php file to get the data is :

$signs = $_REQUEST['signs'];
$disabled = $_REQUEST['disabled'];
$female = $_REQUEST['female'];

Thanks