Mobility is a basic right, but for (partially) blind people, the road is, unfortunately – literally – littered with obstacles. That is why the Braille League wants to raise awareness about mobility among blind and visually impaired people. The organization, therefore, has organized a large-scale survey among about 700 respondents and is repeating its sensitizing campaign.

The Braille League already conducted a similar survey in 2013. Now the non-profit organization can compare the results with those of the new survey. Mobility clearly has changed in ten years, with the emergence of shared scooters and other electric vehicles. Apparently, e-scooters lying around on the sidewalk are the most problematic obstacles for visually impaired people, especially in Brussels.

Hurt or disoriented

According to the survey, slightly more than half (55%) of blind or visually impaired people feel unsafe on the street. About 75% of the blind and 45% of the partially sighted use a white cane, and only 6% have a guide dog.

Most of them (90%) are confronted with unexpected obstacles. Obstacles such as e-scooters or garbage often cause visually impaired people to stumble, hurt themselves, or become disoriented. Other frequent problems are poor road surface condition (23%), littering e-scooters (23%) and garbage (8%) on sidewalks, and the presence of billboards (18%).

Five priorities

Most respondents (73%) use public transport, but the majority of users (58%) are unsatisfied with the communication during the rides. Many (45%) also complain about the accessibility and infrastructure of public transport. Brussels scores best, satisfaction is also above average in Antwerp, Flemish Brabant, and Namur, but in the province of Limburg, only 11% are satisfied.

All collected data from the survey have led to five priorities:

1) Better regulation of the use and parking of e-bikes, scooters, and e-scooters;

2) More street aids (braille info, vibrating buttons, sound signals…);

3) More inclusive public transport and better (spoken) communication about trips, stops, and connections;

4) Obstacle-free footpaths;

5) Better awareness of the sighted population about the various problems faced by blind and partially sighted people.

‘Big bottleneck’

Another recommendation made by the Braille League is to make electric vehicles more audible; now, they’re often a “real danger” to visually impaired people.

The Braille League survey was conducted by AQ Rate among 664 people with a visual impairment; 14,2% of whom were blind. The Week of the Braille League starts on Monday, March 20th, and ends on April 2nd. The campaign is intended to stress the importance of smooth mobility for people with visual impairment.

“It is one the most important pillars, but also one of the biggest bottlenecks on the road to independence, so that blind or partially sighted people can fully participate in society,” the organization concludes.