SCI Daily News   

                                           The Electronic Directory for People with Spinal Cord Injury

                              "Because no one should cope with a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) alone"  

Wheelchair Transportation Safety

The Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology at the University of Pittsburgh is conducting a research study that is designed to evaluate the effectiveness and usability of different wheelchair securement technologies in public transportation vehicles. This will be done by modifying a Port Authority Transit bus to include 3 different wheelchair securement stations. Eligible subjects will then ride the bus through a test course 3 times, once in each station, in order to assess each system. A survey will be completed for each securement station.

In order to be eligible for this study, you must be:
• At least 18 years old.
• A user of a manual wheelchair, powered wheelchair or motorized scooter.
• A user who stays in their wheelchair/scooter when riding in any type of vehicle.
• Able to transfer (with assistance) to a wheelchair or scooter that is similar to your regular wheelchair or scooter type, but has been modified for testing.
• Able to sit in a wheelchair (on your own seat cushion) for about 2.5 hrs.

Although your participation will not provide you with any immediate benefit, it may increase the safety of all WMD users (including yourself) when using public transportation in the future. Upon completion of the entire study (fitting session and test course), a check will be mailed to you in the amount of $75.

For more information about participation in this study, please call or send an e-mail to:

Linda van Roosmalen, Principal Investigator 412-586-6911 lvanroos@pitt.edu
Erik Porach, Research Specialist 412-586-6918 eap26@pitt.edu

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