Special products such as
bollards and other devices need to be installed in public places to help the visually impaired negotiate with enhanced safety. As the population ages, there are more people with vision problems. They may not be completely blind, but just have trouble seeing clearly and this puts them in danger when walking around in public areas be it a street, railway station or any public building from a shopping mall to a hospital.
Bollards are generally used for traffic flow control so that people can be directed in the correct manner to facilitate movement and safety. However, those with vision problems can easily miss a vertical pole even if it is a bright colour. They could walk right between them and not even know they were there. So they need additional aids to prevent them from falling down a step or walking into a roadway unawares.
Many visually impaired people are also older people and so they must also contend with frailty and the inability to move quickly out of danger as a younger person could. Thus they are more at risk. Younger people with a vision problem may use a stick to help them find safety, or they may have a guide dog. But both of these aids are limited and so there needs to be other aids to help them.
tactile indicators are a great way to ensure the safety of both those who are visually impaired and anyone else. They are basically an addition to the floor or path like a mat that has regular short bumps on it. These prevent slipping and because they can easily be felt through the soles of the feet they can warn the visually impaired that there is a step or the edge of the pavement nearby. Additionally, they come in bright colours that make them highly visible to anyone who still has limited vision.
In addition,
Braille signs should be used and these too, may need to be in bright colours so that anyone with limited vision can see them. Such signage is now a legal requirement in public buildings and places under the Building Code of Australia Section D3.6. When such signs are in place the vision impaired can then develop greater self confidence and be more independent; surely a good thing. Being able to go out on their own is something that only the sighted person can take for granted.
