How to secure a wheelchair in a minibus is a critical skill for ensuring the safety and comfort of wheelchair users during transport. Whether you’re a professional driver, caregiver, operator, or family member, knowing the correct techniques can prevent accidents and offer peace of mind. In this guide—and the video linked below—you’ll learn the correct steps to safely position, restrain, and secure a wheelchair, using Koller Engineering wheelchair restraints, before heading out onto the road.
1. Preparing the Space and Boarding the Wheelchair
Remove the necessary seats to create the dedicated space for the wheelchair. Then safely board the wheelchair user using either a wheelchair lift or ramp.
2. Position and Secure Front Wheelchair Restraints
Start by taking the 2 front restraints (these are the 2 short ones), and gently slide them into the tracking until they click into place. Make sure both of these are perfectly aligned and parallel. Next, take the belts, wrap them around the front wheelchair legs and buckle them securely. With the front 2 restraints in place, gently roll back the wheelchair to add tension onto these straps.
3. Position and Secure Rear Left Restraint
Now lets move to the rear restraints. Take the one with a seatbelt stalk attached to it, this will be for the rear left of the wheelchair. First, slide it into the tracking until you hear a click. Then, attach the carabiner to the rear leg of the wheelchair, open the ratchet and tighten this strap to secure it into place.
4. Securing Rear Right Restraint, Applying Seatbelt and Final Check
Next, take the final restraint for the rear right of the wheelchair. Start by sliding this into the tracking until you hear a click, making sure it’s aligned and parallel to the restraint on the left. Then, attach the carabiner to the rear leg of the wheelchair, open the ratchet and tighten this strap to secure it into place. Now take the seatbelt, lift it from the floor and around the passenger, making sure it goes over the shoulder like a regular seatbelt, then click it into the seatbelt buckle. Once everything is in place, give the wheelchair a gentle shake. If done correctly, there will be no movement from the wheelchair.
Securing a wheelchair in a minibus isn’t just about ticking a safety box—it’s about respecting the safety of every passenger. By following the steps shown in the video and outlined in this blog, you can ensure every passenger is secure, making the journeys stress-free. Always make sure the wheelchair passenger is secured in place with no movement before continuing to drive the minibus. To learn more about wheelchair accessible minibuses, click here.