ANSI/RESNA WC19
Wheelchairs Used as Seats in Motor Vehicles

Section 19 of American National Standards Institute/Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (ANSI/RESNA) Wheelchair Standards/Volume 1, Wheelchairs for Use as Seats in Motor Vehicles (WC19), was published in May 2000 and is available from RESNA's Technical Standards Board.

RESNA, 1700 N. Moore St, Suite 1540, Arlington, VA 22201-1903
Phone: 703-524-6686 Fax: 703-524-6630 TTY: 703-524-6639
e-mail:info@resna.org

Rationale for WC19

Providing effective occupant protection in a motor-vehicle crash is a "systems problem" that involves the vehicle, the vehicle seat, and the occupant restraint system. Recognition of the importance of the vehicle seat to effective occupant restraint has increased significantly in recent years, and manufacturers of automotive seats are now required to perform extensive dynamic testing to ensure that the production vehicle complies with government crashworthiness and occupant protection criteria. Not only must the seat be secured so that it does not add to the loads on the occupant during a crash, but it must be designed and constructed to provide support for the occupant under impact loading and during rebound, thereby controlling occupant kinematics in order to optimize the performance of restraint systems and minimize occupant contact with interior vehicle components. Furthermore, the seat must be designed so that it does not significantly contribute to occupant injuries in a crash.

For people with disabilities who are unable to transfer from their wheelchairs when traveling in motor vehicles, the wheelchair must serve as the vehicle seat and after-market equipment must be installed to secure the wheelchair and provide occupant restraint. The design and performance of wheelchair tiedown and occupant restraint systems (WTORS) is addressed in a separate document in the form of an SAE recommended practice (SAE J2249). The purpose of the ANSI/RESNA WC19 standard is to promote occupant safety and reduce the risk of injury for motor-vehicle occupants who remain seated in their wheelchair during transit. This is accomplished by applying basic occupant protection principles to the development of design and performance criteria for wheelchairs that will be used as seats when their occupants are traveling in a motor vehicle.

For the purpose of this ANSI/RESNA standard, a wheelchair is considered to be a seating system comprised of a frame, a seat and wheels that is designed to provide support and mobility for persons with physical disabilities. This term encompasses standard manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs, power-based wheelchairs, three-wheel scooter-type wheelchairs, and specialized seating bases. A wheelchair that complies with all the requirements of this standard is considered to provide a reasonable measure of safe and effective seating during vehicle ingress/egress, during normal transportation, and during a vehicle collision.

In preparing this standard, it was recognized that there are many makes, models, and styles of wheelchairs in use, and that few, if any have been designed to serve as a seat in a motor vehicle. It is the purpose of this standard to encourage the design, testing, and use of wheelchairs that comply with this standard and that will, therefore, enable and enhance effective wheelchair securement and occupant restraint in a frontal collision, offering comparable crash performance to that provided by the OEM vehicle seat. While the primary concern is to reduce the potential for injury to wheelchair-seated occupants that may be involved in a frontal vehicle crash, the standard also addresses issues of wheelchair performance related to vehicle access, maneuverability, and stability under normal operating conditions. It is also anticipated that achievement of improved occupant protection through effective wheelchair securement will result in increased comfort and security for wheelchair-seated occupants during normal travel.

The provisions of this standard should not be used to discourage people with disabilities from using motor vehicle transportation, or to limit access to, and availability of, motor vehicle transportation to wheelchair user.

Scope of WC19

This ANSI/RESNA standard specifies general design requirements, test procedures, and performance requirements for manual and powered wheelchairs that can be considered to offer suitable and safe forward-facing seating for passengers traveling in transit, paratransit, school bus, over-the-road coaches, and personally licensed vehicles. The standard applies to the securement of wheelchairs by four-point strap-type tiedown systems that are occupied by child- and adult-sized passengers restrained by belt-type occupant restraints. The standard applies to a wide range of wheelchair types and styles, including manual wheelchairs, powerbase wheelchairs, three-wheeled scooters, tilt-in-space wheelchairs, and specialized mobile seating bases with removable seating inserts. It applies primarily to wheelchairs as purchased from the OEM manufacturer, but also has application to wheelchairs that are retrofitted for use as a motor-vehicle seat by the addition of after-market add-on components.

The standard places particular emphasis on design requirements, test procedures, and performance criteria related to frontal impact performance. However, it also includes design and performance requirements for wheelchairs with regard to accessibility to motor-vehicles and stability during normal vehicle travel. The standard specifies strength and geometric requirements for wheelchair securement points and occupant restraint anchorage points on the wheelchair. It also provides requirements and information for wheelchair accessory components, seat inserts, and postural support devices with regard to their design and use in motor vehicles.

In addition to the general requirements indicated above, several additional key features required for a wheelchair that complies with the standards are that it shall:

• Have at least four permanently labeled securement points that can withstand the forces of a 30 mph, 20 g impact,
• Have specific securement point geometry that can receive a securement end fitting hook of a specified maximum dimension,
• Be equipped with anchor points for an optional integrated pelvic belt, such that the wheelchair and pelvic belt will withstand a 30 mph, 20 g impact, and
• Provide a standard interface on the pelvic belt to connect to a vehicle-anchored shoulder belt.

This website has an up-to-date listing of crash-tested wheelchairs and wheelchair seating systems.

Current and Future Efforts

This version of the WC19 standard does not address all the issues and concerns. For example, it does not address rear or side vehicle impacts or rollover situations. Securement methods and devices other then strap-type securement devices are only partially addressed. These discrepancies will need to be addressed by future additions to the standards. Most standard developments efforts are incremental and the work is rarely completely done in the initial standard. Field experience with the standard invariably reveals shortcomings or limitations, and thereby clarifies the focus for revision or expansion. Research and standards development are currently focusing on docking technologies, seating devices for use in motor vehicles, and non-frontal impact conditions.

Implementation of WC19

It is vital to follow up the completion of standards with activities that will ensure the effective implementation of the provisions and requirements of the standard. This includes developing educational materials, such as guidance documents, presentations, news releases, articles in consumer journals and magazines, and training videos, which explain the contents in lay language.   It also involves working with manufacturers who need to understand the scope of the standards, and who may need assistance getting their products and literature to conform with the requirements of the standard.  Finally, it also means providing one-on-one technical assistance to various user groups, transportation providers, and manufacturers to clarify misinformation and unfounded concerns that arise whenever a new standard is established.

The WC19 Section of this website contains many resources that are intended to accomplish these goals.

Last updated: August 11, 2008