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What Do You Think About Wheelchair Safety?

What Can Be Done To Improve Wheelchair Safety and Decrease Accidents?

From the lens Wheelchair Safety: What You Can Do Right Now.

Please give your opinion about how to improve wheelchair safety.

  • RhondaSueDavis Aug 19, 2011 @ 1:09 am | delete
    Collisions with cars are not the only typical hazard for wheelchair users. Curbs, uneven sidewalks also.

    For those with significant mobility limitations, just getting a new wheelchair can be very dangerous. Owners and caregivers need to ensure they are getting a chair that fits properly and all the bolts are tightened. You cannot assume the person issuing the chair has done it correctly. I have seen a new chair wheel fall off, causing a scratch that became a serious wound, and luckily healed after months of battling from the brink. And then the next chair they got, the foot rests were set just a tad too high so that a pressure sore developed. that was caught in time and healed. For children who grow and change out chairs, and for those who are in the chairs full time, it is easy to develop pressure sores (like bed sores) and it is very important to protect against this kind of injury. I would be willing to see funding for better wheelchair fitting and requirements.
  • fridawrites May 19, 2009 @ 3:15 pm | delete
    Hi, sorry I've just had a chance to make it over. Great blog. I can't vote w/o setting up squidoo, but I do think wheelchairs being built low to the ground and lack of driver education (including why we need to be in streets--they can be aggressive thinking we're intentionally slowing them down) are the major problems.

    Cars but especially SUVs can't see us if we're behind them--and lack of accessible parking forces us further back in parking lots behind their vehicles. I always assume someone can't see me or isn't paying attention unless they make eye contact and stop. I had to wait in the rain this weekend for a long time to use my lift because the driver of a giant armored vehicle parked temporarily behind mine was looking down and filling out paperwork--if he had not looked down before pulling out and I'd gone ahead and used my rear wheelchair lift, that would have been the end of me. My scooter has a front light/rear reflectors, though I'd like to add one to the seatback.
  • Deeishere May 16, 2009 @ 4:00 pm | delete
    I am not sure other than education. Great lens. I am taking a wheelchair class this summer and I may share this information.

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MSE

I am the owner of Med Services Europe a European based company which designs and distributes innovative Wheelchair Accessories. I live in Europe with my... more »

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