If you have to put up signs for your place of business, then the first thing you need to do is read the signcode.  All of the official ones have rules and regulations you must follow, especially ADA signage markers.  The Americans with Disabilities Act took it upon themselves to set up guidelines to follow so that they can make sure all of the indicators are where they should be and how they are suppose to be.  This helps out anyone that is disabled, and it lets everyone else know that that building or place is accessible to the handicapped.  If there wasn’t a signcode to help unify all of the regulations on markers, then the disabled people for whom they are intended would not recognize whether or not a building is made accessible to their needs. 

Most of the buildings have these markers on all public rooms or areas.  They will have a lettered indicator with an accompanying Braille translation beneath it.  If it is wheelchair ready, then it will have the blue marker with the white universal wheelchair symbol on it.  All the numbers and letters on it should be a minimum of 0.8mm, they need to be all upper case, and the font needs to be sans serif or simple serif.  These specifications may sound a little too tedious, but it is all done for a reason.  The font is chosen because it is easy for anyone to read.  If the lettering or font style is too complex looking, a disabled person may not be able to read it clearly.  The signcode says, if a pictogram is used, then it has to have a description right beside it. 

The color contrast between the background of an indicator and the letters or numbers are very important too.  When you think of the wheelchair accessible marker, you think of the blue foreground and white colored wheelchair.  Those two colors work great together because it makes it very visible, yet most of the people out there do not realize that it is even important.  If you put together two colors that do not work well with each other, then you could make it to where some people would have trouble reading it. 

As I mentioned before, the signcode makes it clear what kind font is to be used.  They have tested all of the different kinds, and they found this one to be the best one for their purposes.  It is nice to be different and stand out, but, when it comes to ADA sign markers, you need it to be easily read by everyone. 

Inside the buildings is not the only place you will see ADA markers.  Handicap parking spaces need to be indicated as well, and they have requirements just like the other ones.  The signcode mandates that the “wheelchair” symbol be used to indicate that the parking place is accessible for the handicap.  The markers must be placed in front of each place.  80 inches is the required height so it can be easily seen by the drivers.  If it is made for van access, then there should be a smaller sign posted with the regular one saying it is van accessible.