RERC WTS-1 Projects, 2000-2005

SP-1 Wheelchair Accidents Investigation

Objective: the purpose of this project is to investigate and report on the incidence, extent, and nature of injury of wheelchair riders due to motor vehicle accidents, making a distinction between the cause of accident, the cause of injury, the type of vehicle or transportation service involved, and the vehicle size and weight, and include recommendations for ways to minimize injury.

Schneider, Lawrence W., Kathleen D. Klinich, Jamie L. Moore, and Joel B. MacWilliams. 2010. “Using In-Depth Investigations to Identify Transportation Safety Issues for Wheelchair-Seated Occupants of Motor Vehicles.” Medical Engineering and Physics 32(3):237-247.

SP-2 Side and Rear Impact

Investigate and report on safety issues, including both kinematics and biomechanics, related to wheelchair-seated occupants subjected to side and rear impact crashes.

Manary, Miriam A., Nichole L. Ritchie, and Lawrence W. Schneider. 2005. “Wheelchair and Crash Dummy Response in Far-Side Lateral Impacts.” in RESNA 28th Annual Conference. Atlanta, GA.

Salipur, Zdravko and Gina Bertocci. 2010. “Development and Validation of Rear Impact Computer Simulation Model of an Adult Manual Transit Wheelchair with a Seated Occupant.” Medical Engineering and Physics 32(1).

SP-3 Universal Securement Interface

Investigate, develop and evaluate universal securement interfaces that would enable wheelchair and scooter users to safely and independently secure their wheelchairs and scooters to motor vehicles.

Hobson, Douglas A. and Linda van Roosmalen. 2007. “Towards the next Generation of Wheelchair Securement—Development of a Demonstration Udig-Compatible Wheelchair Docking Device.” Assistive Technology 19(4):210–22.

van Roosmalen, Linda, Sean A. Reeves, and Douglas A. Hobson. 2003. “Effect of Universal Docking Interface Geometry (UDIG) Placement on Wheelchair and Occupant Kinematics.” in RESNA 26th Annual Conference Proceedings. Atlanta.

van Roosmalen, Linda, Patricia Karg, Douglas Hobson, Michael Turkovich, and Erik Porach. 2011. “User Evaluation of Three Wheelchair Securement Systems in Large Accessible Transit Vehicles.” The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development 48(7):823.

SP-4 Seating System Crashworthiness

Investigate and compare methods, including low-cost methods, for testing, both static and dynamic, the crashworthiness of after-market and customized wheelchair seating systems and peripheral devices and, if found to be viable, develop strategies for integrating these into existing voluntary wheelchair performance standards.

Bertocci, G., M. Manary, and D. Ha. 2001. “Wheelchairs Used as Motor Vehicle Seats: Seat Loading in Frontal Impact Sled Testing.” Medical Engineering and Physics 23(10).

Manary, Miriam A., Laura M. Woodruff, Gina E. Bertocci, and Lawrence W. Schneider. 2003. “Patterns of Wheelchair Response and Seating-System Failures in Frontal-Impact Sled Tests.” in RESNA 26th International Annual Conference.

Ritchie, Nichole L., Miriam A. Manary, Gina E. Bertocci, and Lawrence W. Schneider. 2006. “Validation of a Surrogate Wheelchair Base for Evaluation of Wheelchair Seating System Crashworthiness.” in RESNA 29th Annual Conference. Atlanta, GA.

SP-5 Integrated Occupant Restraints

Investigate, develop, and evaluate integrated occupant restraint systems that are independent of the vehicle and easy for wheelchair-seated occupants to operate.

Ritchie, Nichole L., Miriam A. Manary, Linda van Roosmalen, and Lawrence W. Schneider. 2009. “The Role of Armrest Design on Positioning of Belt Restraints on Wheelchair-Seated Drivers.” in RESNA 32nd Annual Conference. New Orleans, LA.

SP-6 Industry Standards

Objective: Investigate the use of new or existing voluntary performance standards that would address problems associated with wheelchair-seated occupants subjected to side and rear impact crashes and potential benefits of using integrated occupant restraint systems, universal securement interfaces, and after-market and customized wheelchair seating systems and peripheral devices.

Karg, Patricia, Mary Ellen Buning, Gina Bertocci, Susan Fuhrman, Douglas Hobson, Miriam Manary, Lawrence Schneider, and Linda van Roosmalen. 2009. “State of the Science Workshop on Wheelchair Transportation Safety.” Assistive Technology : The Official Journal of RESNA 21(3):115–60.

Manary, Miriam A., Nichole L. Ritchie, and Lawrence W. Schneider. 2010. “WC19: A Wheelchair Transportation Safety Standard-Experience to Date and Future Directions.” Medical Engineering and Physics 32(3):263–71.

Schneider, Lawrence W., Miriam A. Manary, Douglas A. Hobson, and Gina E. Bertocci. 2008. “Transportation Safety Standards for Wheelchair Users: A Review of Voluntary Standards for Improved Safety, Usability, and Independence of Wheelchair-Seated Travelers.” Assistive Technology 20(4): 222-33.