Prejudice affects 3 out of 4 people with disabilities when traveling

A survey showed that 77% of people with disabilities (PCDs) have experienced at least one situation of prejudice while traveling around the city. Eighty-six percent of respondents also said they had some fear related to security, such as being robbed or mugged, being physically assaulted or having a traffic accident while traveling. The study carried out by Instituto Locomotiva, with the support of Uber, was released this Tuesday (2). The research also outlines an overview of the displacement profile of this population. Of those interviewed who use public transport, 45% said they have some type of restriction in the region where they live. Seventy-nine percent of respondents said they had already arrived late or even missed an appointment due to the lack of accessibility on the routes they take. The number represents about 13 million people. Going on foot or using a wheelchair (50%) and a private car (47%) are the most popular forms of transportation among the PCD population. Forty-three percent also reported using app transport, 34% use city buses or vans, and 14% use the subway. Among people with visual impairments, the most popular options for commuting are mobility apps and walking, with 54% of respondents. According to the interviewees, 67% travel for reasons related to health care for themselves, 36% to visit family and friends and 34% to deal with personal matters. For Renato Meirelles, president of Instituto Locomotiva, the study reveals numerous challenges faced by people with disabilities in their journeys through cities, where most interviewees agree that there is a lack of safe and comfortable transport options, highlighting the lack of accessibility and discrimination faced by this population in their paths. “The scarcity of information is pointed out by the interviewees as one of the main causes for prejudice, which entails a series of restrictions on their travels through cities. To combat prejudice and promote a more inclusive society, it is necessary to educate the population for the inclusion of people with disabilities. Companies and governments need to work together to implement effective and sustainable solutions that guarantee the right to come and go, ensuring more opportunities for people with disabilities to move around cities,” said Meirelles, in a statement. Methodology The face-to-face survey was carried out with 800 people over 18 years old, with visual, hearing, motor, intellectual or multiple disabilities, living in 11 metropolitan regions (Belém, Fortaleza, Recife, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo , Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Goiânia and Brasília), between February 28 and March 17, 2023. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points

Agência Brasil