Article

Large accessible transit vehicles (LATVs, fixed-route intracity buses), generally
considered safe, may not be as safe for wheelchair-seated passengers. Transit
provider practices vary regarding use of wheelchair tiedown and occupant
restraint systems (WTORSs), while recent research suggests high levels of WTORS
disuse and misuse. We sought to better understand wheelchair and wheelchair
passenger instabilities related to WTORS disuse and misuse on LATVs. This article presents a retrospective review of 295 video surveillance records of wheelchair
passenger trips on LATVs. Wheelchair trips involving disuse and misuse of WTORS
were quantified and categorized based on WTORS configurations. Cases of
wheelchair and wheelchair passenger instability were categorized based on
severity, type, and direction. Three adverse events involving severe wheelchair
and/or passenger instability were examined in greater detail. Results showed
20.3% of records involved wheelchair-related adverse events (95% minor
instabilities, 5% severe instabilities). Scooters were most likely to be
unstable, followed by manual and power wheelchairs. In most instability cases, no
tiedowns were used to secure the wheelchair and no lap belt was used to restrain
the wheelchair passenger properly. In many instances,
the lap belt was misused in
an attempt to secure the wheelchair, whereas the shoulder belt was never used.

Langue : ANGLAIS