WHEELCHAIR TRANSPORTATION IN VEHICLES

All of the wheelchairs in our range are designed to be easily transported and most of them dismantle into manageable parts in seconds.

Consideration should be given to the type of vehicle in which the wheelchair may be carried. A small car with a heavy power chair in the boot may be affected in the way in which it steers or brakes, so care should be taken to distribute the load sensibly.

It should also be noted that even a lightweight manual wheelchair has considerable mass in the event of emergency braking and some form of restraint is essential when transporting any wheelchair in any vehicle.

It is strongly recommended that the user transfers to a vehicle seat and the wheelchair is transported separately. However, if this is not possible and the user intends to travel in a moving vehicle whilst seated in the wheelchair, it is essential they follow clear safety guidelines and understand that this is not as safe as using the vehicle seat and is at their own risk.

Many of our wheelchairs have been shown to withstand simulated crash conditions without cuasing injury to the user or danger to other passengers. We have compiled a separate document describing the conditions in which these tests were carried out and clearly detailing the manner in which the wheelchair should be restrained. Any wheelchair restraints must be separate to the user restraints.

It is the responsibility of the transport operator and the wheelchair user to ensure that safety measures taken are suitable for both the wheelchair user and other passengers.

All passengers in motor vehicles accept that there is risk involved in travel, but this is compounded by wheelchair use. The wheelchair brakes are not designed to withstand forces such as cornering, acceleration and braking within a motor vehicle, therefore additional special restraints must be provided.

The wheelchair should be secured to the vehicle floor in-line with the direction of travel. The occupant should be separately restrained to the vehicle and NOT to the wheelchair. Installers and operators of restraint systems should be trained in their correct use by the restraint manufacturer, or approved specialist. Additional fittings such as trays should be removed and stowed separately. It is recommended that wheelchairs with a full height backrest or head rest are used to prevent excessive movement of the head both during normal travel and in the event of an impact.

R J Mobility have undertaken crash testing to latest known international standard test methods and we used the Unwin 4 - Point Tie Down system. However it is important to ensure that the user restraint buckle is facing away from the wheelchair rear wheel to avoid danger of accidental unlatching. The following wheelchairs have been tested and we have published details which are available upon request.

Barrett 101 Original Meteor
Barrett 7H Mini-Meteor
Barrett 10H Independent Meteor

Other products in our range and R J Mobility products manufactured prior to testing have been used to transport users in motor vehicles over many years without serious incident and it must be decided by the user/carer whether to continue to do so at their own risk. It is not as safe as travelling in a vehicle seat and there are risks involved. These are minimised with the use of effective recommended equipment/restrains and our company believes in freedom of choice for informed individuals so please be aware of the risks and make your own informed choice.

To obtain free written details of the tests we have carried out please contact RJ Mobility.