Did you know that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that securement systems be made available on buses for people with limited mobility, such that an occupied wheelchair or mobility aid cannot move more than two inches in any direction under normal vehicle operating conditions? The rules of the ADA require buses to have at least two spots fixed for wheelchairs according to matching eligibility criteria.

Transportation is undoubtedly one of the greatest concerns for those with limited mobility. Both fixed route public transport and para-transit vehicles make it easier for people with special transportation needs to travel from one place to another. However, the chance of injury to a person with a disability is 45% higher than individuals without mobility impairment in case of a crash.

Precautions to be Taken While Traveling

The advantage with para-transit is that it is a door-to-door service for people with disabilities, which avoids the potential inconvenience of having to wait at a bus-stop to board a standard mass transit bus. Also, para-transit vehicles are typically constructed to conform to the needs of people with disabilities, keeping in mind specific safety guidelines and precautions. In order to meet ADA standards, para-transit vehicles should include a recommended wheelchair securement, such as the TITAN800. These types of securement provide enhanced safety to wheelchair and scooter passengers, as well as other travelers within the vehicle.

These wheelchair securement systems typically include belts and metal retractors. Either two or four belts are used to secure the wheelchair to the floor tracks of the vehicle. The metal retractor is fixed onto the floor tracks of the vehicle and the hook is attached to the wheelchair with retractable webbing.

The mobility rider can be further secured with an occupant restraint system, which includes one diagonal belt running through the shoulder and another around the pelvic bone. Anyone with ambulatory restrictions must wear these belts while traveling unless a doctor advises against it due to a pre-determined medical condition.

The para-transit wheelchair securement not only minimizes injury during a crash but also prevents injuries during normal vehicle movement, like sudden stops or sharp turns.

Contact us to learn more about the TITAN800, tested and proven to be WC18 compliant and compatible with WC19 wheelchairs.

The post How Para-transit Wheelchair Securement Helps Overcome Transportation Challenges appeared first on Sure-Lok.

While you cannot always avoid accidents, you do have the ability to control whether or not you wear a seat belt. This is essential, regardless of your position within a vehicle. Rear seat passengers often have a false sense of security, and avoid buckling up, thinking they are less prone to fatal injuries than those riding in the front seats. This is a major fallacy. In the case of an accident, the passenger riding in the back can collide with a person in the front seat, resulting in severe head injury to both. The importance of using the occupant restraint system cannot be overstated.

According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wearing a seat belt can reduce injury and death rates by as much as 50%. The possibility of a passenger being ejected from the car in an accident is lowered significantly to just 1% for those wearing their safety belt. This is the reason most vehicles have visual displays, sound alerts or both to remind passengers to buckle up. And, of course, it’s the law.

Occupant Restraint System for the Physically Challenged

For mobility riders, additional or enhanced protection may be required for a car journey. This is because even under normal circumstances, persons with special needs are at a greater risk of injury when the vehicle starts, stops, turns or when the brakes are suddenly applied.

If possible, mobility riders may be transferred into a seat within the vehicle, but this is not always an option. Fortunately, there are highly specialized and reliable occupant restraint systems available, which should be used regardless of journey length — whether a short drive to the supermarket or a long venture for a holiday.

Sure-Lok’s occupant restraint system offers a host of options, enabling you to choose products that are best suited for the mobility rider’s specific needs, as well as the layout of the vehicle. There are three types of restraints, including lap belts, shoulder belts and integrated combination belts. All of which have been qualified under different impact test criteria and adhere to the prescribed regulations, wherever applicable.

What to Keep in Mind?

If the mobility rider cannot be shifted to a seat within the vehicle, a standard occupant restraint system will not be sufficient. In such cases, wheelchair securements, including retractors and restraints should be used for complete safety.

Technological advancements have greatly increased the level of protection offered by occupant restraint systems in case of a crash. Be diligent in taking all proper precautionary measures to safeguard yourself and loved ones.

Contact us to learn more about wheelchair securement products, including the TITAN800.

The post A Reliable Occupant Restraint System Can Save Lives appeared first on Sure-Lok.

With safety as the number one priority in wheelchair transportation, the Rehabilitation Engineering Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) updated the WC18 standards for wheelchair tie-down and occupant restraint systems (WTORS) which will take effect in December 2015.

Currently, WC18 requires that WTORS withstand a sled impact test using a 30mph/20g crash pulse, a 187 lb. surrogate wheelchair and a 170 lb. midsize adult male crash-test dummy where the lap belt is anchored to the vehicle. Since new WC19 standards now require the availability of an optional wheelchair–anchored lap belt to hold the occupant into place, RESNA had to address the higher wheelchair forces that would be transmitted to the tiedown/securement systems when a person riding in a wheelchair is using that lap belt. As a result, RESNA developed the new WC18 standard requiring that WTORS must also be able to withstand the increased forces generated in a second impact test, in which the 170 lb. crash-test dummy is restrained by a lap belt that is anchored to the surrogate wheelchair rather than to the vehicle itself.

“Manufacturers of wheelchair and occupant restraint systems and those responsible for transporting people dependent on wheelchairs are planning now for the new safety regulations,” said Bob Joseph, VP of Business Development for Q’Straint, a global leader in developing innovative solutions for wheelchair passenger travel. “One way to ensure compliance with the new WC18 standards by the December 2015 deadline is to consider equipment upgrades to transportation fleets and personal mobility vehicles in advance.”

Q’Straint has embraced the new WC18 standards by developing and offering the QRT-360, the first retractor to meet the requirements, which demonstrates the company’s increasing commitment to the safety of travelers seated in wheelchairs. The QRT-360 is the first 4-point, heavy duty, fully automatic retractable tie-down system designed, engineered and built to perform successfully in the required 30mph frontal crash when a wheelchair passenger is traveling in a motor vehicle and is using the optional lap belt as discussed above. It also offers a shortened retractor footprint that allows for more flexibility in vehicle anchor-point locations to better accommodate large wheelchairs. The revolutionary new product is therefore compatible with the widest variety of wheelchairs and is an acceptable solution to wheelchair securement in all types of motor vehicles.

In addition, the self-tensioning tie-down system automatically tightens the straps during small wheelchair movements that occur during travel to eliminate slack. The belts continue to tighten during low-g vehicle accelerations, thereby further reducing the potential for wheelchair movement in the event of a collision. The webbing used in this system has also been redesigned and is twice as strong as the material used with other wheelchair and occupant restraint systems.
“The benefits of the new WC18 standards address not only improved passenger safety, but also offer a more efficient and independent securement process,” adds Joseph. “All industry transit providers and those with private vehicles should begin their preparations for complying and update themselves on the new standards and the products that meet these standards.”

As background, WC19 was the first industry standard in the U.S. for wheelchair manufacturers to address the design and performance of wheelchairs used as seats in motor vehicles. WC18 governs the systems used to safely secure the wheelchairs within the personal or commercial vehicle.

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