It took the United States centuries to realize they needed to accommodate individuals with disabilities, handicaps, and other conditions that affected mobility. Before the latter half of the 20th century, parking lots were a complete free for all, and the majority of buildings did not have ramps, elevators, or other points of accessibilities. This meant a handicapped individual would be forced to try to cover long distances to visit regular locations like grocery stores or the bank, if they were able to get out at all.
Nowadays, the majority of parking lots have at least one or two designated disabled parking spaces that are clearly designated by blue lines and the national symbol of an individual in a wheelchair. Buildings, businesses, and necessary facilities like schools are also required by law to have points that are accessible for people who are differently abled.
But how did this change go into effect, especially in a rural and sparsely populated state like South Dakota? With more than 53 million people in the United States with disabilities, how were they able to gain their rights?
The Civil Rights Movement
The first major attempts to gain rights for individuals with handicaps and disabilities did not emerge until the Civil War. Although there was a Delaware law in 1955 that designated certain parking spaces for those who used mobility devices like wheelchairs and crutches, the law did not catch on in the other states. Instead, activists started to raise awareness during the 1960s as part of a broader Civil Rights Movement.
The first activists took part in protests for the rights of others, particularly black Americans who were subjected to harsh Jim Crow laws and legal segregations. Sympathetic to the plights of others, some handicapped individuals joined marches and protests and then started to write directly to government officials to raise awareness about their own issues as well. Soon, as the 1960s progressed, rights for underrepresented groups started to gain national awareness.
The 1968 Architectural Barriers Act
The first major piece of legislation was the 1968 Architectural Barriers Act. It was a federal law implemented across the country, including in rural states like South Dakota. It established federally mandated guidelines for the design of buildings. The purpose was to make locations accessible for those with disabilities and handicaps. The most important guideline was the insistence that buildings, especially schools and government centers, needed to include ramps and doors wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices.
The guidelines also included rules for the creation of special signage. It led to the creation of the International Symbol of Access, which is the white outline of a figure in a wheelchair with a blue background. Unfortunately, the rules did not provide much assistance for parking. There were no guidelines about the size of accommodations, whether parking spaces needed to be made, or any other protections that would make travel easier. That would come later.
Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act
Unfortunately, individuals with disabilities would need to wait another 20 years to become recognized as a protected class. People could still be discriminated against because of a handicap, which affected the ability to work, go to school, and even buy a home.
Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act, which was created in 1968, was not amended until 1988. In 1988, people with disabilities were added to the list of protected classes alongside age, race, and sex. The Senate passed one version in 1989, while the House of Representatives passed theirs in 1990. They were then combined.
The ADA and Parking
On July 26, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act. This act created specific guidelines for the states, businesses, and institutions to accommodate handicapped individuals. It was the ADA which gave clear outlines for parking, which were then implemented throughout the 1990s in the states.
The ADA has a section called section 4.6: Parking and Passenger Loading Zones. In this part of the law, the federal government stated that handicapped parking spaces needed to be on the shortest route to the entrance and needed extra space besides vehicles so individuals could get in and out of their form of transportation. This meant the spaces closest to a building needed to be given the proper signage and painted to designate their new role in helping disabled individuals get around.
Modern Accommodations in South Dakota
In keeping with the spirit of accessibility, South Dakota has made changes to how individuals can apply for a handicapped parking permit. One of the most important changes made over the last three decades has been the ability for the primary transporters or caretakers of handicapped individuals to get placards for their vehicles. When the laws were first passed, only the disable person could have a permit. Now, caretakers can as well.
Another important adjustment has been loosening the rules for application. It is no longer necessary to submit an application for a permit in person. Instead, you can choose to mail your forms and receive a placard in the mail.
Certain businesses and websites also now make it easier to connect to medical doctors across the country to receive an official disability diagnosis. Since the majority of states require a person to be diagnosed as handicapped or disabled, being able to communicate online with a professional improves accessibility and simplifies the process for people everywhere.
Conclusion
Like the rest of the United States, South Dakota was quite inhospitable for disabled individuals until the 1990s. It was difficult for differently abled individuals to get around since there was no parking available, and many buildings didn’t even have ramps or wide doorways until the late 1960s and 1970s. Still, South Dakota has now made great strides to become more accessible. The application process for getting a parking permit is quite simple and can be utilized by people across a broad range of backgrounds, and it is even possible to speak to a doctor online.