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Illinois Residents May Now Report Disabled Parking Fraud Online

Posted: 6/22/2009 at 04:24 PM

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Disabled Parking SignIllinois residents are now able to report disabled parking violations through a form on the Illinois Secretary of State's website, the Daily Chronicle announced Sunday. Residents who witness what they believe to be a violation of laws reserving certain spaces for individuals with disabilities are asked to obtain the vehicle's license plate number, the number of the disabled placard in the vehicle if applicable, the location of the alleged abuse, and a description of the reported violation.

 

Violations of disabled parking laws could include parking in a space reserved for people with disabilities without displaying a disabled plate or placard, or using a family member's disabled plate or placard to get a disabled parking space without the disabled family member in the car.

 

The Parking Program for Persons with Disabilities Abuse Complaint form cautions citizens against approaching someone suspected of a parking violation. Concerned individuals are encouraged to simply collect information about the vehicle and possible violation, then report it to the Illinois Secretary of State, rather than engage in any confrontation. The website also notes that not all disabilities are visible, and warns that reports must be based on facts, not speculation.

 

What do you think? Will the online submission form be a tool used to prevent abuse of disabled parking spaces, or will it be abused due to its anonymity and the threat of an investigation by the Secretary of State of the individual and incident reported?

 

Photo Courtesy Erk Pod

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  • afo49guy wrote on Jun 22, 2009 at 7:11 PM
    I printed up a copy of that complaint form.I think the fact thaht all it calls for is a name and an e-mail address is the weak point in an another wise good idea. I think that this should be handled through local police depts. in my state, the local police departments issue, deny or revoke parking placards. Going to a police station where you would be asked to produce ID and sign a formal complaint form would greatly reduce the risk of using this type of complaint to harass someone one. I know the form has the standard warning about perjury, but it places an undue burden on police departments- they have to track down the e-mail user. That may prove to be difficult and time consuming if a person uses a ficticious name and a public access computer. Suppose a person makes a habit of complaining about people with very real but not obvious disabilities? I think handling it at a local level might minimize that kind of thing. Let`s put the burden of proof where it belongs - on the person making the complaint.If they are unwilling to provide their own identity, including a physical address, why should the complaint be taken seriously?
  • Nanal wrote on Jun 29, 2009 at 9:48 AM
    I think Ollie makes a very legitimate point about the burden of proof. If making a complaint becomes too easy, I think we're asking for trouble !..........peace and love......Norma
  • D. Shorts wrote on Jun 30, 2009 at 12:45 PM
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    This law providing for easy acces for persons with disabilities is deeply flawed. It is unenforceable,since there is no practical provision for monitoring. the stores will not monitor it because they don't want to offend their customers. The police will not monitor it because most violations occur in private parking areas. It ends up as a privileged parking area for inconsiderate people. I see violations wherin all the reserved parking area users are plainly not disabled, unless being over-weight counts.