A wave of reforms – including a new Blue Badge design which is harder to forge or alter – will be introduced on January 1.
The campaign means the tens of thousands of people living with disabilities in the West of Scotland – almost 25,000 are in Glasgow –will have more access to the parking they need.
It is a criminal offence to display a Blue Badge unless the badge holder is in the vehicle. Those who break the law can face a £1000 fine.
Scottish Government Minister for Housing and Transport Keith Brown said the Blue Badge was a "lifeline" for millions of disabled people.
But, he added: "For too long, it has been open to abuse and misuse by far too many others. This causes real day-to-day problems for those genuine users of the scheme who need the use of disabled spaces but find them taken up, often by vehicles displaying fake or misused badges.
"We want to make sure these crucially important parking places are used for the purpose for which they were intended, to help severely disabled people retain their independence and live full lives."
A new national database will allow enforcement officers anywhere in the country to check details of badges and badge holders.
Automatic entitlement to a Blue Badge for severely disabled service personnel and veterans will also be introduced.
Erskine mum Deirdre Breslin, 52, whose son Jonny, 24, lives with Wegener's Granulomatosis, an incurable disease which limits mobility, welcomed the changes.
She said: "Jonny's in hospital at the moment but he's had plenty of bad experiences where he can't park near to where he's going because all the disabled parking spots are taken up. He's had to walk quite a distance and he just can't manage.
"I hope this makes a difference and stops people from parking there if they don't need to."
There are currently 270,000 Blue Badges in circulation in Scotland. Holders can park for free and without time limit on-street at parking meters and pay-and-display parking.
Plans to introduce independent mobility assessments are also set to be rolled out across the country next year.
Anne MacLean, Convener of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland, said: "We welcome the changes being introduced - this package of reforms to help prevent abuse, protect the parking rights of genuine badge holders and provide a more consistent and uniform approach is great news."
rachel.loxton@ heraldandtimes.co.uk
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