Drivers With Disabilities Repeatedly Fined Despite Valid Permits

People with disabilities are being fined again and again for not paying at parking spaces — even though they are legally exempt, reports Vísir.

The situation is unacceptable, says Bergur Þorri Benjamínsson, chair of the national accessibility group at ÖBÍ (The Organisation of Disabled in Iceland).

“People with disabilities should not have to pay for parking — whether it’s above ground, underground, in paid zones or not. Yet it keeps happening again and again and again. And it’s just intolerable,” he says.

Despite displaying valid disabled parking permits, drivers often receive tickets, especially in the capital area. Getting these fines overturned is a time-consuming process, and little has changed despite years of advocacy.

“We have plastic cards displayed on our windshields. They’re not connected to any payment systems, databases, or anything. So when inspections are carried out — whether by staff or surveillance vehicles — people with disabilities just keep getting fined left and right,” Bergur Þorri explains.

The Grapevine has recently reported on the rise of private parking companies and the rapid spread of new paid zones around Iceland. These companies often disregard disability permits and attempt to collect fees regardless.

“Some of them try to set up portals where we can register information — license plates, vehicle ownership, permit numbers, and so on — but the process is extremely cumbersome,” says Bergur Þorri. “We’ve spent years trying to push for a digital solution that would actually exempt us from these charges, but it just hasn’t happened. People are being fined here, there, and everywhere.”

“Of course, a lot of people just pay and deal with it, just to avoid the whole ordeal. But the time and effort it takes to appeal the fine is hardly worth it — and yet, that’s the only option we have.”