Transport safety should be the number 1 priority when riding a transport wheelchair. In order to do so, the user MUST use a seatbelt in order to prevent any sort of accident from occurring. It’s a very simple issue when it comes to transport chair safety, to prevent the user from being launched out of the seat if the chair comes across a bump or uneven pavement, one must wear a seat belt at all times while in the chair.
Endangering an individual that uses a wheelchair by not utilizing a seat belt is an accident waiting to happen at the worst possible moment. A secure and properly fitted seat belt should prevent the user from experiencing any sort of accident where they may drop out of the seat and hurt themselves. Safety is the priority when it comes to seat belts, but there are other reasons to think about when wearing a seat belt.
Vehicle Safety with a Wheelchair
The second most important issue with seat belts is if they are extremely comfortable. Emphases on EXTREMELY, imagine you driving a vehicle and a seat belt is mandatory by law. You may need to wear that seat belt for the remainder of your commute.
Now imagine having to wear that seat belt 12 hours a day non-stop without ever taking it off. That is why a very comfortable seat belt is important for a wheelchair user.
Car-Styled Seat Belt
Most seat belts come with some sort of locking mechanism that joins the 2 belt arms together to create a strong bond designed for security. Some will come standard with a car seat belt like easy to push button that you can use to “click” the belt into place, and to push when you need to remove the seat belt from the user.
Depending on which wheelchair model you have, you can get custom fitted seat belts as well to accommodate a larger user.
Adjusting Seat Belt Length
The seat width of your chair is also very important when it comes to the length of the seat belt straps. Most seat belts will allow you to adjust the length of the straps to accommodate the size of the user without pressuring their shoulder-abdomen area.
Even though the US has laws that require a user to wear a seat belt in a vehicle, there are only a few states that have laws that require a wheelchair user to wear a seat belt.
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