People can be inconsiderate jerks.

The tendency (which I’m sure we’re all guilty of) is to instinctively believe that, “I am the center of the universe.”

But there are some lines you should not cross. No matter how big of hurry you are in, how important your inflated ego presumes you to be, if you are able-bodied–you should not be parking in a handicap spot.

Despite this code of conduct which should be obvious to motorists, past research by Cope and Allred shows that inappropriate use of handicapped parking spaces occurs frequently, with consistent reports indicating the majority of cars parked in these reserved spaces are parked there illegally.

Now, there’s an app for that.

“Parking Mobility” is a new app that allows users to take snapshots of cars parked in handicapped designated areas illegally, then forwards it to the local law enforcement agency. As an incentive, a portion of the fine the government issues benefits a charity to help raise awareness of the 20 percent of Americans who rely on accessible parking spaces.

Punitive legal action is difficult to enforce due to the lack of enforcement officers available. This is frustrating for most citizens who want to help curb that sort of behavior which impacts the lives of individuals with disabilities so negatively.

These days, with everyone wielding smart phones which allow high resolution photos (or evidence in this case) to be taken on the go, the creation of this app is a victory for the disabled community and their allies to help bring about personal paradigm changes of people in society that it is not okay to just ignore the needs of other people.

Over two decades ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed. With the help of the Parking Mobility app, the next few years, average citizens will be able to have a hand in enforcement and thus a deterrence of ADA violations.