Disabled Parking Volunteer Application
Handicap Parking Enforcement Report
Statesman Parking Enforcement Article
Austin Chronicle Parking Enforcement Article
American Public Media Article - Cheating the (Parking) System
News 8 Austin - Stay Out of Handicapped Parking Spots
Fox 7 News - Filmmaker Helps Stop People from Parking in Handicapped Spots
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Disabled Parking Enforcement
In September of 1995 pursuant to new state legislation, I established a Citizen
Handicap Parking Enforcement Program to ensure that handicap-parking spaces would be
available
for those who are lawfully entitled to them. I fully expected that with
additional enforcement and publicity, citizens would come to understand the need for
these parking spaces and comply with state law. As this program begins its 10th year
of existence, handicap-parking violations remain as prevalent as ever. It is still
common to come across violators who do not have handicap parking license plates or
hang-tags, use other peoples’ plates or tags, park on the diagonally striped areas
for van unloading and block access ramps. Even though fines for these offenses
begin at $250 citizen volunteers will still write 1,000 or more tickets this year.
 The
most common excuses we hear are “I was just parked there for a minute” and the
spaces weren’t being used.” It only takes a minute for a disabled person to drive by,
not find an empty space and not be able to go where able-bodied people can go.
My goal remains to put this program out of business for lack of need - but to do so
I need your help. The first and most obvious assistance would be for everyone to respect
state handicap-parking laws. Since that is not likely to happen anytime soon,
we are accepting applications for citizen volunteers who will write tickets when they
find violations. Citizen volunteers must be Travis County residents at least 18 years of age,
have no criminal record and complete a 4-hour state mandated training class.
Those who are interested in becoming citizen volunteers can obtain
applications HERE or by calling 854-9100.
While parking illegally in handicap parking spaces might not rate as the most serious of criminal offenses, violators who can walk a few extra feet to enter a business are often obstructing access for those who cannot. Good citizenship requires that we all do our part to ensure that the rights of those with physical disabilities are respected and protected.
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