Supporting accessibility and personal mobility with information on parking rights worldwide

FIA, Brussels launches www.fiadisabledtravellers.com today to mark the Day of People with Disabilities, with the aim of providing information about disability parking permit schemes around the world.

www.fiadisabledtravellers.com  provides comprehensive and informative guidance about parking privileges granted to national permit holders on roads and in car parks, country by country, worldwide. Information is provided for travellers visiting from abroad about whether or not the parking privileges of the country or state visited are available to them and under which conditions. When in doubt the advice given is “ask locally, park sensibly and safely, obey the rules and enjoy your visit!”

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile is one of the worlds leading mobility organisations. Through its affiliated members, national motoring and touring organisations, the federation promotes the interests of some 114 million citizens worldwide, including those for whom personal mobility is a challenge. Many members drive others with disabilities that are entitled to hold a disabled parking permit.

Jacob Bangsgaard, FIA Region 1 Director General said, “People with disabilities are even more dependent on reliable and accessible information about mobility opportunities. The new website is part of FIA’s contribution to upholding mobility for all.”

In a world of ever increasing motorisation and global travel, where the car is often the preferred door to door mode of transport for disabled people, parking permit schemes help to overcome access barriers by making reserved and privileged parking available in close proximity to the final destination.

Parking permit schemes for persons with reduced mobility must be encouraged. As competition for parking space on the road increases however, all efforts must be made to protect such privileged parking schemes from fraud and abuse.

More ambitiously, FIA calls for reciprocal arrangements beyond the European Union, between countries and states allowing disabled visitors holding disabled parking permits to benefit from the local privileges worldwide. Greater standardisation of parking permits could lead one day to a single disability parking permit recognised worldwide.

For more information contact Sinziana Gille Tel 02 282 0816 or s.gille(at)fiabrussels.com

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Notes for the Editors

FIA affiliated motoring club and government experts provided much of the Guide's information. National and state laws were also reviewed to obtain or to verify information.
 
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the data. For all questions or additional information please contact fiaguide@fiabrussels.com.

The FIA Brussels Bureau was a partner in the development of the FIA Disabled Traveller Guide, produced by Bert Morris, Disability Consultant. This project was financially supported by the FIA Foundation.