subject: How To Correctly Load A Wheelchair In To Your Vehicle [print this page] Loading your wheelchair in to your vehicle can be a lot of hard work. It is important to know how to do it, however, if you ever want to travel anywhere. It may take a lot of practice to get it right, but it will be well worth it.
Manual models are easier to load than electric or stationary models. A lot of the manual models are so easy to load because they can be folded down so they fit inside the back of a car. Models that can't be folded or taken apart easily are usually loaded in to a van or other specialized transportation vehicle.
In order to place the wheelchair in the trunk of the car you need to be familiar with your particular model. Some models need to have parts removed in order to fit in to the trunk of the car. Look for foot and armrests that may be detachable.
When you remove anything from off the wheelchair keep tabs on them. You might be able to fit the chair in to the back of your car, but that won't do much good if you don't have the parts to put it back together again. You will need to put everything back together in order to use the chair again, so pay attention to the parts.
Most manual models can be folded so they can fit in the back of the car. If your model allows you to do this, fold it in half and place it gently in the trunk. You don't want to break it, so be careful when trying to get it situated there.
Stationary wheelchairs, on the other hand, have to be loaded in to a van. They won't fit in the back of the car. They usually need to be loaded in to the vehicle by way of a ramp.
Ramps can be found easily at medical stores, online, or most places where you can buy the wheelchairs. Some people choose to make their own ramp using two pieces of wood. While this does work, it is not very safe or effective if you have a heavy chair.
Remember to use the breaks on the wheelchair to keep it stationary in the vehicle, or tie it down with a rope. You don't want the chair to crash around in the car and get broken, and you also don't want it to hurt the driver or anyone else. Another good rule of thumb is to always check your owner's manual to make sure that the parts you need to take off can actually be taken off.
