Wheelchair Safety Measures

Wheelchair Safety? What trouble can a paraplegic or quadriplegic individual get into, sitting in a wheelchair? Plenty! Learning to ride a bike or a scooter, parents are constantly reminding children of the safety rules: Do not let someone ride on the handlebars; always wear your helmet; wear reflective clothing at night, etc. Similarly, certain safety rules apply for wheelchair-bound individuals. So before grabbing the joystick or the wheels, listen up!

Speaking from personal experience, wheelchair safety begins with well-maintained brakes. Over time, brakes can get loose, compromising an individual’s safety. For example, for the person transferring from a bed, or a chair, to the wheelchair, excellent brakes are essential. If the chair moves during the transfer, the disabled person is likely to hit the floor. If the fall causes further injury, or physical strength, to get from the floor to the chair, is absent, he/she is stuck until someone comes along to offer assistance. Even with the capability to pull up from the floor to the chair, the brakes are still a problem. What if the chair moves again?

Brakes are also essential for parking on an incline. Totally avoiding hills, ramps, and sloping walkways is impossible. Imagine attending a concert in an auditorium. Parked in the isle, a disabled individual will like end up in the orchestra pit or smacking the stage. While envisioning the spectacle may seem hilarious, for the paraplegic who failed to exercise wheelchair safety, the event can be totally embarrassing and extremely dangerous.

Maybe the wheelchair has excellent brakes, but the back has no tip bars. Oops! Wheelchair safety rule number two: Unless the user is adept at riding and maintaining a wheelie, tip bars are essential for wheelchair safety. Again, speaking from experience, the absence of tip bars can be dangerous and painful. Imagine ascending a steep ramp or curb cut. The grade, or incline, is too sharp. The handicapped individual can feel the chair begin to tip backwards. He/she leans forward, trying to prepare for the inevitable crash. Nothing happens! The tip bars (bars equipped with little tiny wheels) have caught and prevented the chair from overturning. Yeah! Without tip bars, the person will likely feel his/her head bounce of the surface of the sidewalk or hard floor. Ouch! Tip bars are an important part of wheelchair safety.

Finally, since wheelchairs are often below the average individuals line of vision, practice wheelchair safety and making the chair more visible. For example, a brightly painted chair, with reflectors in the spokes, will help the handicapped person be seen at night. Also a flag attached to the back of the chair is helpful. In the case of construction or mine workers, a flag on the vehicle helps large equipment operators avoid a deadly collision. The same principle applies to wheelchair safety. Become visible, and avoid becoming a regrettable statistic.

In summary, whether an individual has spent a lifetime in a wheelchair, or is adjusting to a new way of navigation, learning proper wheelchair safety is paramount. First, keep the chair properly maintained-especially the brakes: second, use tip bars to avoid nasty spills on steep inclines; third, do what is necessary to become visible to motorists and pedestrians. The wheelchair is meant to allow greater freedom and independence, not to become the instrument of further harm. So, practice wheelchair safety, and get the most out of life.

Next article: Wheelchair Armrests And Your Safety