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The WC19 Information Resource:
Crash-tested Wheelchairs & Seating Systems

What is WC19?

WC19 is a voluntary industry standard for designing, testing and labeling a wheelchair that is ready to be used as a seat in a motor vehicle. A WC19 wheelchair has:

  • Four permanently attached and labeled securement points that can withstand the forces of a 30 mph, 20 g impact.
  • Specific securement point geometry that will accept a securement strap end fitting hook.
  • A clear path of travel that allows proper placement of vehicle mounted occupant safety belts next to the skeletal parts of the body,
  • Anchor points for an optional wheelchair anchored pelvic safety belt, that is designed to withstand a 30 mph, 20 g impact, that has a standard interface on it that allows it to connect to a vehicle-anchored shoulder belt.

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

You can read more about this standard in which was passed in April 2000 in this section of the website. You can quickly learn more about how to travel with greater safety in a van or bus by reading the Ride Safe Brochure. The Ride Safe Brochure is now available in Spanish.

Find the information you need!

You may view all components of this WC19 website but, this WC19 information is organized by reader type.
Click on the link that best describes your information needs:

  • Consumers: individuals or family of individuals who use wheelchairs.
  • Prescribers: clinicians, rehabilitation therapists, Certified Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers and Rehabilitation Engineers.
  • Manufacturers: companies that manufacture manual and power wheelchairs, seating products and wheelchair tiedowns and occupant restraint systems.
  • Transporters: public, private and paratransit transportation agencies and school districts.

Additional Resources:

MediaSite Live Presentations on the Web

This resource adds video presentations on wheelchair transportation safety to this website. MediaSite Live is a technology that lets Windows and Macintosh computer users view archived video stored on a central website designed to serve these videos. Our webserver is located at the U of Pittsburgh.

Note: for the following video formats, user may need to download addition software such as Windows Media Player, QuickTime Player or Real Player. Follow the on-screen prompts.

 

This website is the authoritative information resource on the WC19 standard. This website is a service of the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Wheelchair Transportation Safety in partnership with the RESNA Subcommittee on Wheelchairs and Transportation (SOWHAT). RESNA is designated as a standards setting organization by ANSI, the American National Standards Institute.

Be sure to visit the standards section of this site if you are interested in a more formal presentation on standards.

As always, we welcome your feedback on how to improve this resource. Want to make a suggestion? Have questions about WC19? Contact us by e-mail at ruffing@pitt.edu

Last Updated: August 18, 2010
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Acknowledgement:
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Department of Education, Washington DC
This Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Wheelchair Transportation Safetyis funded by NIDRR grant #H133E060064
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