ANZ has launched a new Visa Debit card designed specifically to help low vision customers. The card features bigger fonts, a notch to help customers identify the correct way to insert it into ATM and EFTPOS machines and raised dots indicating which is the right way up.

More than 300,000 of the specially-designed new Visa Debit cards have been issued since the card was first announced in March last year in response to requests and when cards expire. The bank plans on rolling out accessibility features on five of its credit cards and all of its new EFTPOS cards over this year, said Antonia Watson, ANZ managing director retail and business banking. “They’ll have different variations in the number of dots, so customers can tell them apart.”

ANZ has also introduced raised indents on ANZ ATM keypads to assist with orientation, braille notices indicating different ATM components, such as where to collect cash, deposit money and find your receipt, and audio functions. It has also installed handrails, ramps and automated doors at branch entrances to help the wider disabled community, said Watson, adding that ANZ is the first bank to introduce the debit card features.

The debit card was tested with the help of vision-impaired lawn bowlers, Sue Curran and David Stallard. “I think any sort of enhancement to technology to help a vision-impaired or blind person is fantastic,” said Curran. “There is nothing worse than going somewhere and thinking ‘I can’t do this’ – you can do more with the help of products like this.”