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Detection of warning surfaces in pedestrian environments: The importance for blind people of kerbs, depth, and structure of tactile surfaces.

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Author

Summary, in English

Purpose. The overall purpose was to study whether and how persons with blindness detect warning surfaces with a long white cane in a real pedestrian environment after following a natural guidance surface to the warning surfaces. Of particular interest was the importance of kerb, depth, and structure of the warning surfaces. Method. A concurrently mixed methods approach, with a combination of observation using a structured form together with 'think aloud' and a structured interview, was used. It was done with well-defined samples and study sites in an inter-disciplinary research context. Results. The results show that the most important design characteristic for detection of the warning surfaces with a white cane is the structure of the surface, while the depth of the surface and availability of a kerb do not have any impact on the detection. A precondition was that there is a distinct natural guidance surface leading up to the warning surface. Conclusions. The probability among pedestrians with blindness to detect a tactile surface is not higher if the design solution has a kerb. This study also confirms the complexity of being a blind pedestrian in the traffic environment. The results can be used for evidence-based physical planning. The study also has implications for development of more efficient vision rehabilitation.

Publishing year

2010

Language

English

Pages

469-482

Publication/Series

Disability and Rehabilitation

Volume

32

Issue

6

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Topic

  • Other Medical Sciences not elsewhere specified

Status

Published

Research group

  • Sustainable occupations and health in a life course perspective

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0963-8288