Around 2:00 AM this morning, there was a tragic vehicle accident in Tampa, Florida. Police officers were assisting a wheelchair bound man whose power wheelchair had broken down. The officers were returning the man to his home in a police cruiser. There were three police cars traveling together and their emergency lights were on.

An oncoming Mitsubishi Eclipse that was traveling at avery high speed slammed into the lead patrol car head-on. The driver of the Mitsubishi was pronounced dead at the scene. The impact of the collision pushed the police car into the one traveling right behind it.

The police officer traveling in the lead car sustained serious injuries and is in an ICU in stable condition. The officer in the car traveling behind sustained minor injuries and has been treated and released.

It is unknown what caused the driver of the Mitsubishi to cross over into oncoming traffic.

The United Spinal Association is actively pushing a campaign called “Taxis for All -North America”. They are promoting a new type of taxi called the “Standard Taxi” that will be more accessible to wheelchairs.

The taxi has a built in ramp allowing a wheelchair to drive right into the taxi. The ramp slides under the floor surface for storage. No longer does the driver need to get out to fold or disassemble the wheelchair or scooter. It’s no secret that in cities such as New York, it’s not easy for a person in a wheelchair to flag down a taxi. Cabies are often not willing to go through the hassle.

For those not actually driving their chairs into the cab, the door design still enhances accessibility. The large 56” tall door frame makes it easier to get in and out – the passenger can just step right inside. The door opens a full 90 degrees, getting out of the way of the entering or exiting passenger.

Inside the cab there are tie downs to secure the wheelchair. The wheelchair user does not have to get out of the chair. Riding position is natural forward facing.

The most notable thing to mention is that this cab is designed to be a Standard Taxi, not a special cab for the disabled with only a few available in the fleet. It is designed for regular fleet use, keeping the needs of the disabled in mind.

The spacious cab has seating for four adults in the passenger compartment in addition to the space for the wheelchair. Its huge trunk swallowes up a full size spare and four hard case golf bags.

The designers also emphasized economy and practicality. The interior seats and floor are easy to clean and maintain. Fenders, bumpers and door panels are interchangeable. Even the powertrain has been optimized for the unique requirements of taxi service.

According to the manufacturer Vehicle Production Group, production will begin in the fourth quarter of 2007. The “Taxis For All -North America” campaign is hoping to raise public awareness for this need, convincing taxi operators nationwide to convert over to this innovative vehicle.

Bob Triming from Australia created an ingenious do-it-yourself modification for his power wheelchair. He added a canopy with solar panels lining the top service. This setup does not actually generate enough electricity to power the wheelchair, but it does add an additional 30 minutes at full power on sunny days.

The entire canopy frame can be easily detached for transport. On rainy days, although the solar panels aren’t very helpful with power generation, the overhead assembly serves as a good umbrella.

While he was at it, Bob also added LED lights to the rear and side of his wheelchair to enhance nighttime visibility.

Very clever and very cool.

Mark Daniel from Akron, Ohio is 35 years old and has cerebral palsy. Up until several months ago he lived by his parents. He was recently approved for an expensive power wheelchair, moved into his own apartment and was enjoying his new-found independence.

This past Sunday morning while Mark was walking his dog, he was struck by a car that ran a red light. He suffered a broken leg…and a broken wheelchair. The hit and run driver has yet to be apprehended. Mark is devastated about losing his independence. The wheelchair is prohibitively expensive for him, and he may not be able to get it replaced.

If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact the police.

Vehicle: Red Pontiac Grand Am sedan (4 door) --- License Plate #: Begins with QUE--- State: Ohio

Buddy Sanderson is an active paraplegic. He uses a Cadillac with hand controls and an expensive power wheelchair to get around. A few years ago, he tragically lost his son Landon who was killed in an accident while drag racing. Since then, Buddy goes around to local high schools to speak about safe driving.

But this past Friday night, Buddy’s 2005 Cadillac Deville was stolen, with the wheelchair inside. His insurance will cover the cost of the stolen car, but only $200 for the wheelchair.

Vehicle: 2005 Cadillac Deville --- License Plate #: 453-E12 --- State: Colorado

Suzuki has introduced a prototype of an alternative energy wheelchair. The MIO Fuel Cell Powered Wheelchair uses methanol as the fuel source. The methanol is used to generate hydrogen which in turn generates electricity.

There is a 4 liter fuel tank, as well as a large lithium ion battery which is used for electricity storage and also as a backup power source. The chair can travel 25 miles on a tank. The dashboard features an LCD panel that displays fuel and power information.

The main attraction to such technology is that it eliminates the need to charge the chair when power is depleted, which is considerably time consuming. Users can just fill up the tank to refuel.

The MIO is not currently in production...yet. Suzuki will judge consumer interest in the product and says that it may make it to production if consumer interest seems to be high.

This past weekend there has been two unfortunate incidents with pedestrians in motorized wheelchairs being struck by vehicles.

December 2, 2006 --- Saturday Evening in Orlando, Florida, a 49 year old man was struck and killed by a vehicle while he was riding along U.S. Highway 441 in a motorized wheelchair. The accident is currently under investigation and no charges have been filed. The driver did not see the wheelchair in the Southbound inside lane in which they were both traveling.

December 3, 2006 --- Sunday afternoon in Englewood, Colorado, a 49 year old woman was struck by a city bus making a left turn. The woman was crossing in the crosswalk at the intersection of South Broadway and Girard. The intersection does not have a left turn arrow, and the light was green for both the bus and pedestrians. Police ticketed the bus driver for not yielding to pedestrians.

“Defensive Driving” rules apply to pedestrians as much as drivers. This is especially true for those in wheelchairs as they are more difficult to see, being that they are closer to the ground. Pedestrians must be careful and look out for vehicles even when they have the right of way.

According to a new study at Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen, Scotland, the best sitting posture for the back is NOT a 90 degree angle, debunking traditional medical and maternal advice.

The researches conducted MRI scans on 22 healthy volunteers with no history of back pain to observe the affect varying sitting positions have on the spine. The study found that those who slouch forward or sit upright cause strain to the spinal discs.

The ideal angle is a relaxed 135 degrees, which is the most natural posture for the spine. "Really the best position is what you get in a La-Z-Boy, although that wouldn't work well for someone using a computer" - Amir Bashir, Lead Researcher.

It will be interesting to see how this new medical knowledge will impact the wheelchair community. Those who use wheelchairs spend a good part of their day in the sitting position and are prone to back strain. There are already wheelchairs on the market that have reclining backs. They will very likely become more popular as this newfound knowledge takes hold.