Special facilities are available for disabled travelers.
Traveling for the disabled requires a little more preparation than able-bodied people. Vans can be adapted so that a handicapped person can access the van using a ramp for the wheelchair. Safety is an important issue when loading a wheelchair into a van as well as ensuring enough space to carry out the maneuver.
Instructions
1. Wheelchair parking spaces are wider than normal parking spaces.
Park the van in an area with enough space to place a wheelchair ramp in. A dedicated handicapped parking space would be ideal. If it is not available, make sure that the ramp has enough space and the wheelchair can be maneuvered into position to go up the ramp. The location of the access point on the van should be taken into consideration, whether it is on the sides or the rear.
2. Position the ramp. Some ramps for handicap vans are manually operated and are required to be put in place, while others simply require the push of a button to lower and raise them. Ensure that the wheelchair and user are safely out of the way when lowering the ramps and that there are no other obstructions to take into account. For ramps that are not permanent attachments to the van, try to ensure that the ramp gradient is not too steep.
3. Load the passenger. Either push or have the wheelchair user wheel himself up the ramp into the van. Even if the wheelchair user is able to do this independently, still position yourself behind him to prevent the risk of him tipping over backward, or the chair rolling back down the ramp. Once the wheelchair is in the van it should be secured in place. Use "lock-downs" (available from mobility retailers) attached to an immovable part of the chair, to prevent the chair from moving during travel. Do not attach the lock-downs to any part of the chair that moves or can be detached, such as the wheels.
Tags: enough space, wheelchair user, parking spaces, part chair, ramps that, that ramp
