Some one in 12 wheelchair users experience an injury when travelling by taxi, researchers from the School of Physiotherapy in Trinity College Dublin (TCD) have found. And one half of respondents said they felt inadequately secured in taxis.
Ms Marese Cooney, lecturer in physiotherapy at TCD and her colleagues surveyed wheelchair users who are members of the Spinal Injuries Action Association to assess their experience of the taxi service.
Members living in Dublin, Limerick, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Sligo and Waterford participated in the study.
Half of the 111 people surveyed believed they have been refused a taxi because of their disability, with 42 per cent saying they had experienced a "no show" of a pre-booked taxi in the previous 12 months. Almost one in five said they needed to book a taxi a day in advance in order that a wheelchair-enabled taxi be made available to them.
According to the research, published in the current edition of the Irish Medical Journal, eight people with spinal problems sustained an injury while travelling by taxi. Three people claimed they developed bruises, one sustained a graze, while another respondent said no ramp was in place so that the wheelchair and the occupant "crashed" to the ground.
Ms Cooney told The Irish Timesshe was motivated to carry out the research following an incident that occurred to an acquaintance. "The person has sustained a very high spinal injury that left him without use of his arms or legs and confined to a wheelchair. His first time to venture out independently was by taxi. [During the journey] the taxi man braked and the person fell forward as a result of not being adequately secured. Unable to right himself he was left bent in half with his head jammed against the back of the driver's seat," she said.
Unable to attract the driver's attention, it took the intervention of a person driving behind the taxi before the individual emerged unhurt.
Some 30 per cent of those surveyed said they felt the modification of taxis was inadequate for wheelchair users. A lack of height and difficulties with ramps were the main problems identified. One in eight had experienced problems with unsecured strapping and seat belts.
Users suggested that wheelchair-accessible taxis be modified to include either electric lifts or a larger and wider ramp. Higher roofs, wider doors and the provision of more secure hand grips in taxis were also recommended by participants.
While acknowledging there are taxi drivers who transport wheelchair users safely, Ms Cooney said training in how best to transfer and secure clients would benefit both drivers and wheelchair users.