Cane colors signal sensory loss and legal rights

People using mobility canes in countries around the world communicate information about their vision and hearing through the cane’s color and markings.

In 1921, James Biggs of Bristol, England, painted his walking stick white to increase his visibility to drivers, sparking an idea that grew into a global system. By 1930, organizations like the Lions Club in Peoria, Illinois, and groups in France began distributing white canes and advocating for laws protecting cane users.

The white cane now generally signals a visual impairment, though many users retain some sight. A cane with red and white stripes indicates combined vision and hearing loss, a signal gaining international recognition after being adopted by the World Federation of the Deafblind in 2022 and codified into law in Argentina. While a red tip on a cane is often a visibility feature, it doesn’t denote a specific level of impairment. Different countries have varying laws regarding cane colors.

While eight Canadian provinces legally protect people carrying a cane that is predominantly white, Quebec repealed a similar restriction in 1978. The system relies on public understanding, and advocates emphasize the importance of education to ensure everyone knows how to respond to a cane user’s needs.