Wheelchair tie downs

[alizesmom]

Can I put my son in the van facing the back if we have tie downs? His head control is so-so and rear facing would help. Karen

 

[Marie14625]

Can I put my son in the van facing the back if we have tie downs? His head control is so-so and rear facing would help. Karen

It depends on the tie downs. Some vans have tiedowns specific for front and back wheels. If they are the same, then there should be no problem. I do know that on the Disney Buses you can put it in backwards...and least a driver told me it was OK.

 

[eternaldisneyfan]

I have been tied in backwards before just fine. There are different tie downs for front and back but we just switched them (they were removable). The EZ lock kind are all the same. If you are having them fixed permanently, you could ask to have them installed backwards. My only problem was that it made me nauseas...

 

[Caltitan]

This is a tough call as I think most wheelchairs that are compliant with the WC-19 standards (for Wheelchairs Used as Seats in Motor Vehicles) have been crash tested forward facing not rear facing. I know my disabled daughter's wheelchair manufacturer states it should be forward facing when properly tied down in a vehicle. And I know our Braun Entervan system in our van also states the chair should face forward. Maybe check with a wheelchair equipment provider or wheelchair access van dealer about the pros/cons of chair positioning in your van. Maybe a different chair or modification to his existing chair may be possible to improve his head support when traveling in the van. You can also read more on this topic from this helpful website: http://www.travelsafer.org/index.shtml
Hope this helps.