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WHEELCHAIR TRANSPORTATION IN MOTOR 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.
Many of our wheelchairs have been shown to withstand simulated crash conditions without injury to the
user. 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 risk is 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 are used.
R J Mobility have undertaken crash testing to latest known international standard test methods and
recommend the use of the Unwin 4 - Point Tie Down system. 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.
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/restraints 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 write to:
R J Mobility Limited
Boy Lane
Wheatley
Halifax
HX3 5AF
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