WC19 Wheelchair Safety Standard

You can never be too safe when it comes to your child, which is why all Convaid transit wheelchairs meet or exceed “WC19” safety standards. WC19 Wheelchair Safety Standard is a voluntary standard, which improves the safety and security of your child when seated in their wheelchair aboard a school bus or van. Their safety and security applies to all aspects of transportation, but particularly in the event of a vehicle crash.

WC19 Wheelchair Safety Standard came into existence because there are no Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for wheelchairs used as seating in a motor vehicle. For this reason, the SOWHAT Committee, under the auspices of ANSI/RESNA and ISO developed this voluntary industry standard known as "WC19 Wheelchair Safety Standard"*.

WC19 Wheelchair Safety Standard addresses issues of wheelchair design and performance related to its use as seating in a motor vehicle, but its main purpose is to improve the safety and security of the wheelchair occupant during transportation. Therefore, WC19-compliant wheelchairs, or "transit" wheelchairs, are equipped with an array of features, such as anchor points for securing the transit wheelchair to the frame of the bus or van and an attachment point for occupant restraints to protect the safety of the wheelchair occupant. Labeling and documentation are also an important part of the WC19 standard. For more in-depth information about WC19 Wheelchair Safety Standard and transporting students with special needs, please visit one of the following websites:

Glossary of Abbreviations:
SOWHAT -- Subcommittee on Wheelchairs and Transportation

ANSI -- American National Standards Institute

RESNA -- Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America

ISO -- International Standardization Organization

*WC19 Wheelchair Safety Standard -- Section 19 of ANSI/RESNA WC/Volume 1: Wheelchairs for Use in Motor Vehicle

For more information see our press release.