Rolstoel recently released an infographic that visualizes the facts, numbers and figures about the wheelchair industry. The infographic provides current information and future statistics about historical facts, top wheelchair accessible countries, best cities to live in or visit for wheelchair users, current wheelchair industry market outlook and much more.
Historical Facts
- 1869 was the year when the first wheelchair patent was issued in the United States.
- In 1933 mechanical engineers Herbert Everest and Harry Jennings invented the first steel, lightweight, collapsible wheelchair.
- 1933-1945 United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt used a wheelchair in everyday life.
Top 5 Wheelchair Accessible Countries to Travel to:
- Canada
- United States
- Australia
- United Kingdom
- New Zealand
Top 5 Cities in the United States for Wheelchair Living:
- Seattle, Washington
- Portland, Oregon
- Reno, Nevada
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Denver, Colorado
Best Vacation Destinations for Wheelchair Users in the United States
- The Skydeck in Downtown Chicago
- Silverstrand State Beach in Coronado, California
- The National Sports Center for the Disabled in Winter Park Colorado
Facts and Numbers
- $2.9 Billion expected for the manual wheelchair market by 2018
- $3.9 Billion expected for the power wheelchair market by 2018
- There are an estimated 3.3 Million wheelchair users in the United States and the number is increasing every year
- The demand for wheelchairs is increasing due to the large need among the baby boomer generation
- 98% of public transit buses in the United States are equipped with wheelchair accessible ramps
- One out of every two taxi cabs in New York City will be wheelchair accessible
- The wheelchair industry revenue grew at an average annual rate of 2.5% from 2009 to 2014
- There are about 2 Million new wheelchair users every year
- 1.825 million wheelchair users are the age 65 or older
- 17.4% of working-age wheelchair users have jobs
- 11.2% of adult wheelchair users have graduated from college, compared to 21.6% of the general adult population
Sources:
https://www.ibisworld.com/industry/wheelchair-manufacturing.html
https://dsc.ucsf.edu/publication.php
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/aug/24/accessible-holidays-disabled-people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheelchair
https://www.doctorsreview.com/history/feb07-history_medicine/
https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/statistics/mobility-stats.php
