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Gina Bertocci, PhD, PE
Associate Professor and Endowed Chair of Biomechanics
University of Louisville
Dept of Mechanical Engineering

Many wheelchair users prefer to remain in their wheelchairs during motor vehicle travel rather than transferring to the vehicle's factory standard seats. Until recently, however, wheelchairs were not designed to function as motor vehicle seats, and remaining in a wheelchair during motor vehicle travel was not the safest travel option for wheelchair users.

In 2000, in response to consumer demand, the American National Standards Institute & the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (ANSI/RESNA) adopted a voluntary industry standard focused on improving the crashworthiness of wheelchairs used as motor vehicle seats. This standard, ANSI/RESNA WC-19 – Wheelchairs Used as Seats in Motor Vehicles , requires wheelchairs to meet key design requirements and be subjected to rigorous testing to evaluate their safety as transport seating.

Factory standard motor vehicle seats are designed with inherent safety mechanisms, such as the three-point or four-point seat belt system. WC-19 wheelchairs must also be equipped with four accessible points of securement. This securing method must also be easily repeatable so it is relatively quick and easy to secure the wheelchair in the vehicle by the wheelchair user or their caregiver.

The WC-19 standard also requires specific crashworthiness testing. Wheelchairs must undergo 20 g/30 mph frontal impact testing to measure their crashworthiness. This dynamic test is integral to ensuring safe performance under crash conditions.

At present, approximately fourty-six different models of wheelchairs complying with WC-19 are available. WC-19 has substantially advanced the safety of wheelchair users preferring vehicular travel in their wheelchairs. Increasing consumer demand will further encourage manufacturers to bring additional WC-19 transit wheelchairs to the market, providing consumers with a wider choice of products.

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