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¨ Your safety during transportation largely depends upon the diligence of the person securing the Tie-downs and passenger restraints. It is vital for your personal safety that your wheelchair has been secured correctly. (Tie-downs - The system to secure the wheelchair to the vehicle. Passenger restraint - vehicle seat belt.)
¨ For more detailed advice on transporting your wheelchair such as use of wheel locks, refer to your wheelchair user manual.

¨ A wheelchair secured in a vehicle will not provide the equivalent safety level and security as vehicle seats. For this reason, transfer of the wheelchair occupant to the vehicle seating is strongly advised and should take place wherever possible and the wheelchair secured safely using luggage straps. If, however, circumstances do not permit transfer the following safety advice must be followed: -

¨ Any accessories to the wheelchair, i.e. trays or communication aids that can be easily detached should be removed and secured in the vehicle luggage hold during transportation.

¨ The wheelchair should always be transported in a forward facing direction. Rearward facing is only acceptable if your head and back can be supported by a suitable bulkhead.

¨ Unless your user manual states otherwise, we recommend the 4-Point Webbing Tie-Down System with Karabiner manufactured by Unwin (Unwin WWR/ATF/K/R) or equivalent. This restraint has proved itself to be very simple, flexible and reliable during testing. When attaching the tie-downs to the wheelchair, it is imperative they are fixed onto the MAINFRAME of the wheelchair and not onto any attachments or accessories (wheels, handrims, castors, footrests, armrests, anti-tipping levers etc.) The Tie-Down should be secured as close as possible, to an angle of 45º to ensure maximum effectiveness of the restraint in all directions.

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¨ If your wheelchair has a headrest it should always be used during transportation unless otherwise specified. If not ask the transport provider whether a universal headrest is available that will fit onto your wheelchair. The transport provider should provide a headrest to wheelchair users traveling in a vehicle in which other passengers have headrests.

¨ The lap or posture belt that may be supplied with the wheelchair is not a safety belt designed for transportation. You must ensure that you are restrained to the chassis of the vehicle independently of the wheelchair by a suitably approved passenger safety belt or harness.

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