Worldwide, hundreds of wheelchair users are involved in traffic accidents annually. Even though the occurrence of mishaps for motorized wheelchairs is most probably higher than for of non-motorized wheelchairs, everyone who use wheelchairs face a possibility of being hit by an automobile. Just what are the reasons that many wheelchair users get hit by automobiles?
Wheelchair Etiquette
Wheelchairs users are viewed pedestrians and even usually comply with similar regulations as people walking. Nevertheless, individuals in wheelchairs tend to be more in peril compared to people on foot for several reasons.
To begin with, because people in wheelchairs are sitting down which causes them to be nearer to the ground compared to those people who are standing up they’re a lot more difficult to observe. Next, wheelchair users frequently go much faster when compared with people walking.
Electric Wheelchair Benefits
While the usual velocity that people walk is around 3 mph, non-motorized wheelchairs can travel 2 times as fast and motor-driven wheelchairs can go 3 times as quick. Next wheelchair users need unimpeded pavement although pedestrians are in a position to effortlessly maneuver around obstructions.
Items in the way and bad sidewalks frequently call for individuals in wheelchairs to go into vehicular traffic whereas people walking are often able to go around obstacles.
Improving Wheelchair Safety
How can wheelchair users do to improve wheelchair safety? Many wheelchair users do not know that they could utilize a wheelchair light, which has been custom made to enhance night time visibility for hand-operated wheelchair users.
Other choices include buying wheelchair reflectors or wheelchair products for example, wheelchair bags, or wheelchair gloves, which are made with reflective fabrics. With some attention to basic safety, a number of critical accidents might be prevented.
Being ingenious people, the majority of wheelers will discover ways to get from here to there when they need to, with or without pathways, and with or without properly lighted roads. That’s when things could get frightening and really dangerous.
Danger Factor at Night
Once a wheelchair, powered or manual, leaves the relative safety of the sidewalk, things can get very dangerous very quickly. Simply going across a street after dark in a wheelchair ups the in danger factor 10 fold. Any automobile driving is potential wrecking machine.
Poor visibility is the most common cause for wheelchair related accidents at night. Much like bicycles, wheelchairs could be really hard to see at night-time.
In the Darkness, Wheelchairs are Unrecognizable
In contrast with bicycles, a dimly lit wheelchair shape is not what motorists expect to observe in the dark on a road. A wheelchair is the unforeseen oddball, therefore awareness and response time of motorists is delayed.
This is further compounded by the fact that wheelchair users tend to wear dark colors at night, without any reflective devices or lights. It appears wheelchair manufacturers only design wheelchairs for daytime use, which makes them an accident waiting to happen at night-time.
If you are going to be venturing out at night, light up as much as possible and consider wearing a helmet with reflectors and lights.
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