Search

In most families as children enter adolescence, conversations begin to include transportation as a way to gain greater independence. Teens naturally shift their interests toward friends, extra curricular activities, and earning money with part time jobs. Getting out of the house and developing a separate schedule from the rest of the family often leads to seeking new transportation alternatives--asking to drive the family car, learning to ride city buses, bicycling or catching rides with others. However, because the issues surrounding transportation are more complex when using a wheelchair, parents may find difficulties in letting go and opening their children with disabilities to more risks. This article presents several strategies on how families may prepare teens with disabilities to transportation. (Contains 9 resources.)

Riding on a school bus is one of the safest forms of transportation in the U.S. Every year 450,000 public school buses travel more than 4.3 billion miles to transport 23.5 million children to and from school and school related activities. Students are reportedly eight times safer on the school bus than they are in cars. However, the percentage of these 23.5 million students across the country who use wheelchairs as seats in school buses is not actually known. Not all states collect this data, and no federal agency mandates it. Many school transportation districts are proactive and invest expertise and resources in meeting the unique transportation requirements of students who ride in wheelchairs. Some districts need prodding and education from informed and proactive parents to engage in best practices. For this reason, parents need to be educated on wheelchair transportation safety issues. This article discusses the safety requirements for wheelchair securement and wheelchair occupant restraint systems according to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 222. The beauty of a WC19-compliant wheelchair is that it facilitates proper securement and restraint. It is a wheelchair designed to eliminate many common transportation issues. However, even when a student does not have a WC19-wheelchair, knowledgeable professionals can mark the optimal locations for placing securement straps. Keeping a clear space around wheelchairs, removing hard trays, stowing any equipment that could become a projectile, and keeping straps and belts clean and functioning are part of bus safety, too. (Contains 4 online resources.)

Automotive engineers do extensive research, design, and crash-testing to maximize safety for drivers and passengers. In order to meet federal safety standards, they carefully design passenger spaces, vehicle seats, occupant [...]

For nearly 2 million Americans, wheelchairs are more than just a place to sit. These assistive devices provide mobility, a means of inclusion, recreation and social involvement, and access to [...]

For children with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), transportation is considered a related service and a part of their education. This paper presents an overview of the current status of wheelchair transportation for students on school buses within the United States. The review includes the school transportation environment for wheelchair-seated students, applicable regulations and voluntary standards, primary safety issues for wheelchair-seated students, and key stakeholders roles in improving wheelchair transportation safety. Future actions to improve wheelchair transportation safety in school transportation are discussed, including the need to improve data collection, mandate payment for and use of RESNA WC19-compliant wheelchairs, improve training for bus operators and attendants, and require specialty certification for school bus operators who transport wheelchair-seated students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results from and provides discussion of a state-of-the-science workshop in which highly informed stakeholders in wheelchair transportation safety for students on school buses were participants. The Nominal Group Technique was used to create a process in which the main issues preventing safe transportation of wheelchair-seated students and key strategies to overcome these issues were identified and ranked. These results, along with a synthesis of group discussion and recommendations for action, are presented along with consideration of current policies, regulations, and political realities. Critical safety shortcomings exist in this highly specialized enterprise that varies from state to state. Recommended strategies include implementing wheelchair requirements in federal transportation safety standards, creation of a clearinghouse for wheelchair transportation best practices and education, creation of national standards for training, practices, and monitoring, and increased "buy-in" to voluntary wheelchair standards by wheelchair manufacturers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]