Automotive Safety Issues for Persons with Disabilities -- Details

Exclusion from Automatic Crash Protection Requirement of FMVSS 208 for Light Trucks and Vans Manufactured for Operation by Persons with Disabilities.
On March 2, 1993, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration amended Standard 208, Occupant Crash Protection, to allow manufacturers of light trucks and vans manufactured for operation by persons with disabilities an alternative to complying with the existing requirement for automatic protection. Instead, these vehicles must be equipped with a Type 2 manual belt (integrated lap and shoulder belt) or Type 2A manual belt (separate lap and shoulder belts) at the front outboard seating positions. To qualify for this exclusion the vehicle must:
  • be a light truck or van,
  • incorporate a level change device (e.g. lift or ramp) for onloading or offloading an occupant in a wheelchair,
  • have an interior element of design intended to provide the vertical clearance necessary to permit a person in a wheelchair to move between the lift or ramp and the driver's position or to occupy that position, and
  • have either an adaptive control or special driver seating accommodation (examples are an easily removable driver's seat for driving from a wheelchair, or a power seat base for those who transfer) to enable persons who have limited use of their arms or legs to operate the vehicle.

This exclusion expires August 31, 1997 because on or after September 1, 1997 the phase-in of Congressionally-mandated dual air bags begins for light trucks. In 1991 Congress passed a law directing NHTSA to require driver and passenger air bags in all light vehicles by September 1, 1998 and this law did not explicitly give NHTSA the authority to exclude vehicles manufactured for persons with disabilities.

Exclusion from 49 CFR 571.206 Standard No., 206; Door locks and door retention components.
S4 Requirements

"... However, components on folding doors, roll-up doors, doors that are designed to be easily attached to or removed from motor vehicles manufactured for operation without doors, and side doors which are equipped with wheelchair lifts and which are linked to an alarm system consisting of either a flashing visible signal located in the driver's compartment or an alarm audible to the driver which is activated when the door is open, need not conform to this standard."

Exclusion from child seat attachment requirements.
Child seats are required to meet Standard 213, “Child restraints” while secured to the standard vehicle seat using only the standard vehicle lap belt. Child restraints designed for use by physically handicapped children are exempt from this requirement and may use an extra tether strap to secure the restraint to the vehicle seat.