Things You'll Need:
- Deep-cycle Battery
- Power Wheelchairs
- Seat Of Lap Belts
- 12-V Battery Chargers
- Manual Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair Gloves
- Fanny Packs
- Heavy-duty Rain Ponchos
- Cellular Phones
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Step 1
Use manufacturer's seat belt or consider installing a seat belt.
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Step 2
Use appropriate gloves.
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Step 3
Maneuver to keep all four wheels on the ground.
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Step 4
Attach wheelie bars if your wheelchair is not so equipped.
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Step 5
Keep hands clear of wheel spokes when maneuvering.
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Step 6
Constantly scan your surroundings and the route you intend to follow.
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Step 7
Watch carefully for potholes, cracks in sidewalk and debris in your path.
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Step 8
Remember to account for the length of the wheelchair as well as its width as you maneuver it.
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Step 9
Proceed carefully down short, sharp grades to keep foot pedals from striking the surface. The wheelchair may stop too abruptly and throw you forward.
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Step 10
Short, sharp descents can sometimes be better accomplished by proceeding in reverse.
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Step 11
Brake at the peak of longer grades rather than waiting until momentum has increased.
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Step 12
Try proceeding backwards up a steep grade. Pushing up a steep grade forward can cause the front of the wheelchair to lift and your weight to shift dangerously backwards.
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Step 13
Remember wheelchairs are top-heavy. Ask someone to anchor the up-slope side of the wheelchair as you move across a slope at an angel.
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Step 14
Use curb cuts to cross streets. Locate the nearest driveway if a curb cut is not available.
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Step 15
Remember that you may have the right of way as a pedestrian, but a wheelchair lacks visibility and is not especially nimble in a high-traffic situation.
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Step 1
Use manufacturer's seat belt. If your wheelchair is not equipped with a seat belt, consider installing one.
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Step 2
Attach a set of wheelie bars if your wheelchair has none.
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Step 3
Use foot support straps. Your foot might be injured if it drops from a pedal during high-speed maneuvers.
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Step 4
Remember that a motorized wheelchair is extremely powerful and has a heavy mass.
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Step 5
Keep your arms, legs and feet inside the framework when moving.
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Step 6
Watch carefully when proceeding down a short, sharp grade to avoid jamming foot pedals. A sudden stop can cause the wheelchair to upset.
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Step 7
Release the joystick if the front of the wheelchair comes off the ground.
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Step 8
Use curb cuts. Seek out a nearby driveway if there is no curb cut available.
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Step 9
Remember modern power chairs have an automatic braking system. Control joystick to keep braking system from engaging when momentum is necessary for safe passage.
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Step 10
Avoid street and highway operation even though you might be tempted to utilize the power chair's greater mobility.
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Step 11
Choose your path carefully when proceeding across open ground, gravel driveways or dirt paths. Power wheelchairs displace heavy weight on relatively small tires and sink easily into a soft surface.
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Step 12
Remember all wheelchairs are relatively top-heavy. Ask someone to help add stability by holding onto the up-slope side of the wheelchair when proceeding at an angle across a steep slope.
Comments
tomfx said
on 10/25/2009 Great point Tommy. My power chair customers were getting hit by cars at an alarming rate, and when I went looking for quality safety lighting for mobility products, I was surprised to find a whole-lot-of-Nothing. After much research, I am proud to offer www.wheelchairfx.com as a festive solution to this real problem. Check out the music reactive kits for an even more Happy Holidays- Tom
Tommy_Gun said
on 2/14/2007 Hello my name is Tommy L Harmon. I use a Jazzy 600 power wheelchair. I think that power wheelchairs should have head lights and tail lite. Here where I live in Dickson Tennessee where I live lots of streets don't have sidewalks. Its hard to see a wheelchair sometimes