Canadian Standards for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities During Transportation

The Canadian Standards Association is simultaneously developing consensus standards for transportable mobility aids, for mobility aid securement and occupant restraint systems, and revising an existing standard for vehicles for the transportation of persons with disabilities. Among the objectives of the organizations participating in these projects are: to provide objective means wherewith to evaluate and select equipment and procedures for transporting person with disabilities; to promote harmonization and integration of regulations among Canadian regulatory jurisdictions; to exert a positive influence towards the development of better technology for the transportation of persons with disabilities; to improve access to transportation; to enhance the safety of persons with disabilities in transportation. It became apparent soon after the work began in April of 1990 that exceedingly difficult compromises had to be made between the objectives of improved accessibility and safety. Among the factors contributing to this dilemma were: the emergence of fully accessible large transit vehicles in which the passenger mix and the level of occupant protection differs markedly from the small purpose-built wheelchair bus; the incompatibility of the characteristics which are desirable in a mobility aid (lightness, agility, manoeuverability) and those which would enable it to provide the characteristics of a fixed vehicle seat; the bewildering diversity of wheelchair and scooter designs; widely differing needs and expectations of consumers, manufacturers, transit operators, and regulatory authorities; the scarcity of research and development work dealing with the transportation of disabled persons; and the relative immaturity of the technologies in this area. Developing standards which neither err too much on the side of safety, with the attendant risk of complicating or even curtailing the mobility of disabled persons, nor lapse so much into vagueness as to provide little guidance to transit operators, manufacturers, regulators and consumers proved to be a delicate and formidable undertaking. This presentation examines some of the issues and the ways in which they were resolved.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/2857823479
• Corporate Authors:

  Institut National de Recherche sur les Transports et leur Securite (INRETS)

  2 Avenue du General Malleret-Joinville
  Arcueil Cedex,   France  F-94114
• Authors:
  • Fitzsimmons, Charles
• Conference:
  • The 6th International Conference. Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons
  • Location: Eurexpo-Lyon , France
  • Date: 1992-5-31 to 1992-6-3
• Publication Date: 1992

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 671-677
• Monograph Title: Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Access; Accessibility; Design; Evaluation and assessment; Mobility; Persons with disabilities; Policy, legislation and regulation; Portable equipment; Restraint systems; Safety; Scooters; Technology; Transit vehicle operations; Transportation; Wheelchairs
• Identifier Terms: Canadian Standards Association; Transed
• Uncontrolled Terms: Integration; Mobility aids; Occupant protection; Securement systems
• Subject Areas: Design; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01084766
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 2857823479
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 28 2008 8:12AM