Question
Perhaps you could help me answer this question. I have often heard (without proof) that the American Disability Act requires all manufacturers of autos sold in America to make available (upon request) some type of dash mounted device to enable the hearing impaired to actually hear the audible signal. I checked with several local dealerships who said they were not familiar with any such requirement. Are you aware of any such requirement or device?
Answer
As one of several Federal civil rights laws, recall that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) involves the protection of individuals with disabilities with respect to places of employment, places of public service, public accommodations, and telecommunications. After consulting with some expert colleagues on this important and interesting question, it appears that the ADA is silent on this particular issue. Specifically, there does not appear to be language that requires automobile manufacturers to make any type of disability-related modifications or additions for personally-owned vehicles. The question would also apply, for example, to the addition of pedal extenders for persons of short stature or to vehicles with wheel-chair lifts. For individuals with hearing loss, at least two modifications/additions could be helpful: 1) a turn signal alert for when the turn signal is accidently left on (a modification) and 2) a siren alarm for alerting the driver to the sirens of nearby police and emergency vehicles (an addition). Again, the automobile manufacturers are not directly responsible as these are often viewed as items of personal preference. Nonetheless, it appears that there are some funding opportunities available to help defray costs for vehicle-related modifications/additions, and it also appears that some automobile manufacturers offer reimbursement programs for individuals with disabilities.
Where the ADA may be more relevant is in relation to work-related vehicles, whether the individual with hearing loss will be working in or around vehicles. There may be some Federal and State regulations in place regarding certain audible and visual signals in work-related vehicles and unauthorized modifications by the employer or employee may result in issues of liability. In these cases, the employer and employee should consult with appropriate authorities. The safety of all employees should remain the principle goal, and any attempt to provide safe, reasonable accommodations for workers with hearing loss to function in their jobs should be viewed in compliance with the law.
Some Helpful Websites:
www.turnalarm.com/
www.infinitec.org/live/driving/carmods.htm
Samuel R. Atcherson, Ph.D. is assistant professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with joint appointment at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Dr. Atcherson's research and clinical interests are in the areas of auditory electrophysiology and electrodiagnostics, central auditory processing, and hearing assistive technology. He is former President of the Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses (AMPHL), board member of the Arkansas Hands & Voices chapter, and a proud colleague of a thriving group of hard-of-hearing audiologists.
