STATEUtah · Apr 29, 2026
Invisible Disabilities and Handicap Placard Awareness in Utah
A Park City woman with a terminal illness is raising awareness about invisible disabilities after being harassed for using a handicap parking placard.
The Bottom Line
State residents are reminded that legal handicap placards are issued for various conditions, including those not visible to the public. The Utah Division of Motor Vehicles manages the issuance of these permits based on medical necessity.
The Case For
- Raising awareness helps prevent harassment of individuals with non-visible medical conditions.
- Handicap placards are essential for those with terminal illnesses like dysautonomia who struggle to breathe or walk on 'bad days.'
- Open-mindedness and kindness are necessary because 'no one knows what is going on in another person’s body.'
The Case Against
- Some individuals may confront placard users if they appear 'healthy' or 'not disabled enough' to justify using restricted parking.
Key Numbers
- 2-3 minutes estimated read time
Source Verification
Utah Division of Motor Vehicles, State Government, KSL NewsRadio Report
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✓ Quote-groundedKSL News
https://www.ksl.com/article/news/utah/parking-lot-confrontation-is-a-reminder-that-not-every-disability-is-visible/46684686
Quoted passages this brief is built from (3)
- "Dara O’Reilly wants you to know about invisible disabilities. And that sometimes, people with these disabilities use handicap placards."— SALT LAKE CITY — A Park City
- "She has a terminal illness called dysautonomia. It’s a disorder of the autonomic nervous system"— She has a terminal illness called
- "If you are interested in obtaining a handicap placard, there is more information at Utah’s Division of Motor Vehicles."— If you are interested in obtaining