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How To Find Wheelchair Accessible Locations Using Google Maps
Life with a mobility disability
According to the WHO (World Health Organization) there are an estimated 3.3 million wheelchair users in the United States. Approximately 1.825 million are age 65 and older. My Mom was one of them. Life became exponentially more difficult for her after a car accident left her without the use of her legs.
It was then I realized the world was not set up to be inclusive for people who used wheelchairs. I am embarrassed to admit that prior to Mom’s accident I was oblivious to the challenges those with any type of mobility disability faced on a regular basis. Finding venues where we could easily and comfortably go was difficult. It required hours of research to find locations with accessible entries, restrooms, parking and elevator access. The simplest outing became an ordeal.
The outside world should be accessible for all regardless of whether you walk or roll.
Unfortunately, I did not find the world to be wheelchair friendly for the most part. What I saw was hotels boasting accessibility that perhaps had a grab bar over the tub. Mom couldn’t get into a tub. Or restaurants claiming to be wheelchair friendly that had wide doorways and accessible seating, but the tiny restroom was two steps down at the back of the restaurant. The lives of people in wheelchairs is difficult enough on a daily basis without all these additional obstacles. Easy access is taken very much for granted by most able-bodied people. I get that as I was one of them until I experienced the difficulties with my Mom.
Google Maps “Accessible Places” to the rescue
When traveling to a new location with a wheelchair, it’s incredibly helpful to know what to expect in terms of accessibility of your destination. To help provide the necessary information, Google Maps created “Accessible Places” in 2017, an incredibly helpful feature. Pictures and reviews from others can provide great insight for those traveling with a chair. Store owners also helped.
In 2020, Google implemented even more features to help you choose the most accessible destinations and is available on both android and IOS smart phones. When “Accessible Places” is switched on, you’ll be able to easily see if a place offers accessible seating, restrooms or parking. If it is confirmed a location does not have an accessible entrance, that information is provided too on the app.
Google Maps’ Local Guides program encourages users and business owners to contribute detailed information about locations in their communities. This crowdsourced data helps improve the accuracy of the accessibility facts provided, With this information, the accessibility of locations is rated on a scale of 1 to 5 for the use of other Google Maps users. More than 500 million reviewers contributed since the activation of “Accessible Places” on Google Maps in 2017. This data helps make life simpler and easier for wheelchair users.
How to use Google Maps “Accessible Places” feature
Here’s how to find wheelchair accessible locations using Google Maps. But before using Accessible Places, make sure you have the latest version of Google Maps downloaded.
To turn on “Accessible Places”
- Start by tapping on your profile icon in Google Maps (usually a round icon in the top-right corner).
- Next, click on “settings”, scroll down and select “accessibility” on the new screen showing the list of all settings.
- You will see “Accessible places”. Toggle it on to show if places have wheelchair accessible features when searching or viewing a location.
- You are ready to start searching!
Using “Accessible Places”
- Open the Google Maps app on your mobile device or go to the Google Maps website on your computer.
- Search for the location you want to visit or navigate to.
- Once the location appears on the map, tap on it or click on it to open the location details.
- Scroll down until you see the “Accessibility” section. If there is no “Accessibility” section, it means that the location has not yet been rated for accessibility.
- In the “Accessibility” section, you will see a rating from 1 to 5 that indicates how accessible the location is. You can also see more detailed information about the accessibility features of the location, such as whether it has wheelchair-accessible entrances, parking spaces, restrooms, and elevators.
- You can also contribute to the accessibility information by rating the location or adding details about its accessibility features. To do this, tap on the “Suggest an edit” button and provide the necessary information.
- Once you checked the accessibility information of the location, you can use Google Maps to get directions to the location or navigate around it using the map.
By using this feature on Google Maps, you can easily find and visit locations that are accessible to people with disabilities.
Who else can benefit from “Accessible Places”
The list is endless. This app is beneficial not only for those who use wheelchairs, but also those with limited mobility for whatever reason. It is a great tool for those with a temporary disability too, such as a broken leg or following knee surgery. And let’s not forget about parents with strollers and other accoutrements? The reality is that all venues should be built with universal design principles in mind to ensure easy access for everyone.
The bottom line
Google Maps’ “Accessible Places” feature helps to promote inclusivity and accessibility for all users, regardless of their physical abilities. I wish this feature was available when I cared for my Mom as her world became small due to her limitations.
I appreciate the creation of “Accessible Places” for the many who need it. It is wonderfully designed to help people with disabilities or mobility impairments to find accessible places such as wheelchair ramps, accessible entrances, restrooms and parking. This feature even allows users to filter their search results on Google Maps to show only places that are accessible. By using the Google Maps “Accessible Places” feature, users can save time and avoid frustration by knowing in advance whether a place is accessible or not.
Please share this post as many people are not aware of this Google Maps feature. Everyone needs to know how to find wheelchair accessible locations using Google Maps!
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