What do I do with a very heavy wheelchair? Will the wheelchair tiedowns be strong enough?
SAE J2249 requires dynamic testing of wheelchair securement systems in a 30-mph frontal impact using a rigid surrogate wheelchair that weighs 187 lb. Clearly, the static mass of some commercial wheelchairs is greater than this surrogate wheelchair. In addition, if wheelchair occupants use belt restraints that anchor to the wheelchair (i.e., integrated) or even wheelchair-attached postural belts, the forces on the wheelchair securement system may be higher in a 30-mph crash than those to which the securement system has been tested. What this means is that, under some relatively severe crash conditions, the user of a very heavy wheelchair may be at somewhat greater risk than the user of a lighter wheelchair. However, in considering this apparent disparity between SAE J2249-required WTORS strength and potential real-world loading scenarios, it is important to remember that the likelihood of a 30-mph crash is low even in vans and minivans. The likelihood is even lower in larger vehicles su
