Crossing the Road
Impaired vision can affect a person's ability to judge their distance from approaching vehicles, and the speeds at which the vehicles are travelling. The person may also have difficulty judging the depth of kerbs, and whether kerb ramps are directly aligned with the opposite side of the road.
An important component of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT's training programs, therefore, is improving people's safety and confidence in crossing roads.
Our Orientation and Mobility Instructors teach both general strategies and relevant skills for specific crossings, including the effective use of hearing and remaining vision.
During this training, the instructors can assess a person's suitability for a mobility aid, such as a long cane. Mobility aids can also improve travel safety by alerting drivers and other pedestrians to a person's impaired vision.
In addition, our instructors may advocate for improvements to the safety of road crossings.
For example, we may request that the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) installs audio-tactile signals, which can help people judge when it is safe to cross a road. We might also ask a local council to correct the alignment of a kerb ramp, or install tactile ground surface indicators (TGSIs) to alert people to the road.
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