This wheelchair safety advice is for people who use a wheelchair and for caregivers, family members and close friends who know someone in a wheelchair. It also applies to anyone who might be using a mobility scooter.
There are safety guidelines on how wheelchairs should be facing during travel. The best direction to sit is with the wheelchair facing forward because this offers the most protection. Positioning the wheelchair perpendicular to the vehicle is often dangerous because any jolts or jumps in the vehicle can tilt both the wheelchair and the user. No matter the position you intend on placing the wheelchair, make sure the wheelchair is secured to the ground of the vehicle and will not accidentally break free from the restraint during a pot hole. The heavier the wheelchair, the more you have to consider the strength of the restraint. There are vehicles with built in floor restraints that provide the best protection but make sure both the restraint and wheelchair are fitted.
When you are travelling, if have the ability to stand and sit in the vehicle seats without assistance and with little pain, then you should seek that option. Sitting in the vehicle provides more safety than sitting in a wheelchair.
Any kind of contents in the vehicle should be secured for the safety of the wheelchair user. If something looks heavy and could be knocked loose by the moving vehicle, store it as low as possible to avoid any potential injuries. Make sure all accessories on the electric wheelchair such as the battery is properly secured. If the electric wheelchair has a joystick control placed in the center, see if it is possible to remove that as it could be a hazard during any collisions or emergencies.
Wearing Safety Belts
Make sure the belts are fitted for the user and not be restrictive or suffocating. Place belt on the inside of the wheelchair and wrap across the pelvis, taking extra care that the safety belt does not creep up to the stomach during vehicle movements. The best kind of safety belt is the 3 point belt with two attachments of the belt going to the floor and an additional attachment that secures on to the vehicle.
If you are looking for better wheelchair models that can handle the longer travels, visit Handicap Equipment for more information. Read up on common mobility scooter problems that users face and see if it is time to upgrade from manual wheelchairs to power mobility wheelchairs. Also get a better idea of the handicapped equipped vehicles models available to you.
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