Questionnaire on Road Safety for Deaf People
We (Marion Hersh and James Ohene-Djan) are a senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow and a senior/lecturer at GoldsmithsCollege with a number of years of experience developing technology to support deaf, blind and deafblind people. This questionnaire forms part of research we are carrying out into travel issues for deaf people. The aims of this research are to determine:
- The main road safety issues for deaf people.
- The need for ‘deaf friendly’ materials on road safety.
- How well the police, public transport systems and driving instructors serve deaf people.
- The need for improvements, including in communication support, in the services provided by the police, public transport and driving instructors to deaf people.
We will be publishing this research in a special issue of a psychology journal on road safety. As part of this research we will also be talking to the police about how they interact with and support deaf people. We will also using the results to make recommendations to politicians, urban planners, local authorities, driving schools and the police.
The questionnaire consists of 7 sections and should not take more than 20 minutes to complete. It can be completed anonymously and the results returned either by email or by post. The questionnaires are totally confidential and we are the only people who will see the returned forms. The published results will not identify any respondent in any way. Most of the questions give you a number of options. Please could you indicate one option with an ‘x’.
We would be grateful if you could return the questionnaire by 18 March to
or
Dr M. Hersh
Dept of Electronics and Electrical Engineering
University of Glasgow
Glasgow G12 8LT
We would like to thank you in advance for your help. If you have any further questions, please contact us on .
A Personal Information for Statistical Purposes
1. Are you?
Male___
Female___
2. What age group are you?
16-25___
26-40___
41-60___
61-70___
Over 70___
3. Where do you live?
______
4(a) Do you have any educational, vocational or professional qualifications?
Yes ___
No ___
(b) If yes, what is your main or highest qualification?
______
5. Are you?
At college or university___
Looking after children and the household full time___
Employed part time___
Employed full time___
Unemployed___
Retired___
Other___ Please specify
6. If you are employed, which of the following best describes your job?
Manual work (e.g. building, sewing) ___
Secretarial and administrative (e.g. office desk work)___
Professional (e.g. manager/consultant) ___
Technical (e.g. I.T., Graphics design work, technology)___
Other___ Please specify ___
7(a) What is your main or preferred language?
English___
British Sign Language___
American Sign Language___
Sign Supported English___
Other___ Please specify______
(b) Is this language the first language you learnt?
Yes___
No___
I don’t know___
(c) How easily do you communicate in this language?
Very easily___
Easily___
Neither easily nor with difficulty___
With some difficulty___
With a lot of difficulty___
8(a) If your main language is a sign language, do you use spoken English?
Yes, sometimes___
Yes, cccasionally___
No___
(b) If yes, do hearing people understand when you speak English?
Generally___
Sometimes___
Occasionally___
(c) If yes, how easily do you understand English?
Very easily___
Easily___
Neither easily nor with difficulty___
With some difficulty___
With a lot of difficulty___
9. How easily do you read English?
Very easily___
Easily___
Moderately___
Neither easily or with difficulty___
With some difficulty___
With a lot of difficulty___
B Pedestrian Travel
1(a) Can you hear cars nearby?
Always___
Generally___
Sometimes___
Never___
Not sure___
(b) Can you hear cars faraway?
Always___
Generally___
Sometimes___
Never___
Not sure___
(c) Can you hearlorries, buses and other heavy vehicles nearby?
Always___
Generally___
Sometimes___
Never___
Not sure___
(d) Can you hear lorries, buses and other heavy vehicles faraway?
Always___
Generally___
Sometimes___
Never___
Not sure___
2 Do you think thatyou are less safearound traffic because you are deaf or hard of hearing?
Always___
Generally___
Sometimes___
Never___
3. Do you think that difficulties in hearing traffic could make you less safe
(a) When you cross at a pedestrian crossing?
Yes, a lot less safe___
Yes, a bit less safe___
No___
Not sure___
(b) When you cross at a point which is not a pedestrian crossing?
Yes, a lot less safe___
Yes, a bit less safe___
No___
Not sure___
(c) When you walk on a road without a footpath or pavement,
Yes, a lot less safe___
Yes, a bit less safe___
No___
Not sure___
(d) Are there other circumstances in which difficulties in hearing traffic could make you less safe?
Yes___
No___
Not sure___
If yes, please specify
C Learning to Drive
1. Do you have a driving license?
Yes___
No___
2(a) Have you had driving lessons?
Yes___
No___
If you have never tried to learn to drive, go to Section D
(b) If yes, were these lessons with?
A driving instructor___
Family or friends___
(c) Were you worried about communicating with the driving instructor, and did this make you not want to learn to drive?
Yes___
No___
Not sure___
3. If you used a driving instructor,
(a) Did they communicate with you by?
Speech___
Sign language___
(b) Did you experience any difficulties in communicating with the instructor?
Very frequently___
Often___
Sometimes___
Never___
If yes, please describe them
(c) Do you think your driving instructor needs training in communicating with deaf people?
Yes___
No___
Not sure___
(d) Please state any other suggestions for improvingdriving instruction for deaf people.
4(a) Was the highway code made easier for you to understand?
Yes___
No___
(b) If no, would you be interested in an explanation of the highway code? (Please indicate with an ‘x’ all the options you would be interested in)
On a signed video___
In simplified text with picture___
In another format___ Please specify
(c) Do you think that you understand the highway code?
Yes, very well___
Yes, to some extent___
No___
Not sure___
(d) Do you think you know how to drive safely?
Yes, very well___
Yes, to some extent___
No___
Not sure___
(e) If not, would you be interested in material on road safety? (Please indicate with an ‘x’ all the options you would be interested in)
On a signed video___
In simplified text with pictures___
In another format___ Please specify
5(a) Have you taken a driving test?
Yes, once___
Yes, several times___
No___
(b) If yes, what year did you take this test most recently?
______
6(a) The last time you took this test did you ask for
(i)A sign language interpreter
Yes___
No___
(ii) A lip speaker
Yes___
No___
(b) If you asked for one, was an interpreter or lip speaker provided?
Yes___
No___
Not relevant___
(c) If an interpreter or lip speaker was provided, were you satisfied with the way they interpreted for you?
Yes, very satisfied___
Yes, satisfied___
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied___
No, not satisfied___
No very dissatisfied___
Please provide more information on what you were and were not satisfied with.
(d) If you spoke directly to the examiner, could you understand him or her?
Always___
Most of the time___
Sometimes___
Occasionally___
Never___
Answer question 7 if you have taken a driving test more than once
7(a) In what year did you take your driving test the first time?
(b) Have you noticed any improvements in communication support for you as a deaf person since the first time you took the test?
Yes, considerable improvements___
Yes, some improvements___
No, no change___
No, things have got worse___
8. Please state any other comments about your experiences of
(a) Learning to drive
(b) Taking a driving test.
9(a) Please state any other suggestions for improving communication with driving instructors
(b) Please state any other suggestions for improving communication in driving tests.
D Asking Directions
1(a) When you travel and get lost are you confident to ask directions?
Very confident___
Confident___
Moderately confident___
Not confident___
Very unconfident___
(b) Do you do anything before you travel somewhere new to ensure that you do not need to ask for directions?
Always___
Generally___
Sometimes___
Never___
(c) If yes, please specify
2 If you ask for directions
(a) Do you generally ask
Passers-by___
Shop-keepers___
Workers in pubs or restaurants___
Police or traffic wardens___
A combination of the above___
(b) Do you experience any difficulties in making yourself understood when you ask for directions?
Never___
Sometimes___
Generally___
Always___
(c) Do you experience difficulties in understanding the replies?
Never___
Sometimes___
Generally___
Always___
(d) Do you have other methods of communicating with a hearing person?
Yes___
No___
Not sure___
If yes, please supply details
(d) Do you have any suggestions for equipment or tools or other ideas that would make it easier for you to obtain information when travelling. If so, please provide details
E Travelling by Bus and Coach
1. How often do you travel by bus?
Every day or nearly every day___
Once a week___
About once a month___
Once or twice a year___
Very rarely___
Never___
If you never travel by bus or coach go to Section F.
2. When travelling by bus in an unfamiliar area, how do you find out
(a) Which bus you want and where it stops?
(b) The correct fare?
(c) When you reach your stop if there is no sign with the stop name?
3 How often have you had problems communicating with a bus driver?
Never___
Once or twice___
A few times___
Generally___
Whenever I travel by bus___
4(a) Is there an induction loop on the buses you use?
Yes, on all these buses___
Yes, on some of these buses___
Yes, on one bus___
No___
Don’t know___
(b) If yes, have you found this induction loop useful?
Yes, very useful___
Yes, useful___
No___
Not sure___
(c) If no, would you like an induction loop on the buses?
Yes___
No___
Not sure___
5. How often do you travel by long distance bus or coach?
Every day or nearly every day___
Once a week___
About once a month___
Once or twice a year___
Very rarely___
Never___
6. When travelling by long distance coach or bus, how do you find out times and fares?
From a timetable___
Asking a friend to find out___
From the information centre at the bus station___
On the internet___
Other___ please specify______
7. Where do you generally buy your ticket?
At the bus station___
From an automatic ticket machine___
On the internet___
From the driver___
Other___ Please specify______
8. If you use the bus station information or ticket centre
(a) Is there an induction loop?
Yes, always___
Sometimes___
Never___
Don’t know___
(b) If yes, does the induction loop work properly?
Always___
Sometimes___
Occasionally___
Never___
Don’t know___
(c) Is a sign language interpreter available?
Yes, always___
Sometimes___
Never___
Don’t know___
(d) How easy do you find it to communicate at the bus station?
Very easy___
Easy___
Neither easy nor difficult___
Difficult___
Very difficult___
9(a) Is there an induction loop on the long distance buses and coaches you use?
Yes, on all these buses___
Yes, on some of these buses___
Yes, on one bus___
No___
Don’t know___
(b) If yes, have you found this induction loop useful?
Yes, very useful___
Yes, useful___
No___
Not sure___
(c) If no, would you like an induction loop on long distance buses and coaches?
Yes___
No___
Not sure___
10(a) Please provide further information about any communication problems you have had when travelling by bus or long distance coach.
(b) Please provide any further suggestions for making travel by bus and long distance coach easier for deaf people.
F. Travelling by Train
1. How often do you travel by train?
Every day or nearly every day___
Once a week___
About once a month___
Once or twice a year___
Very rarely___
Never___
If you never travel by train go to Section G.
2. When travelling by train, how do you find out train times and fares?
From a timetable___
Asking a friend to find out___
From the information centre at the station___
On the internet___
Other___ please specify______
3 How do you generally buy your ticket?
At the ticket centre or ticket window___
From an automatic ticket machine___
On the internet___
Other___ Please specify______
4 If you use the information centre, ticket centre or ticket window
(a) Is there an induction loop
Yes, always___
Sometimes___
Never___
Don’t know___
(b) If yes, does the induction loop work properly?
Always___
Sometimes___
Occasionally___
Never___
Don’t know___
(c) Is a sign language interpreter available?
Yes, always___
Sometimes___
Never___
Don’t know___
(d) How easy do you find it to communicate at the information centre, ticket centre or ticket window?
Very easy___
Easy___
Neither easy nor difficult___
Difficult___
Very difficult___
Not relevant___
Please provide more information on what makes communication easy or difficult.
5(a) If you use the internet how easy is it to find information and buy tickets?
Very easy___
Easy___
Neither easy nor difficult___
Difficult___
Very difficult___
Not relevant___
(b) Would you use sign language video clips giving train times and routes?
Yes___
No___
Not sure___
(c) Would you prefer a sign language video system to book your ticket?
Yes___
No___
Not sure___
6. Can you understand the announcements of train platforms and platform changes?
Never___
Occasionally___
Sometimes___
Generally___
Always___
7(a) If you need information at an unfamiliar station, do you
Ask a member of the railway staff___
Ask a member of the public___
Try to find an information board___
Try to find the travel centre___
Other___ Please specify
(b) Do you find it difficult to get information at an unfamiliar station
Always___
Generally___
Sometimes___
Never___
G. Additional Comments
1. Could you provide details of any other aspects of travel that you find difficult.
2. Could you make further suggestions to make travel easier and safer for you.
1