This is the first of a series of six articles on the topic of transportation safety for wheelchair-seated travelers and will highlight some of the basic issues and principles that have been considered in the development of voluntary standards for wheelchair tiedown and occupant restraints systems (WTORS) as well as for wheelchairs that are used as seats in motor vehicles. A significant part of the safety problem for wheelchair-seated travelers is that most wheelchairs have not been designed or tested for use as seats in motor vehicles. To address this in the absence of adequate federal legislation to address safety concerns for wheelchair-seated travelers, national and international efforts were initiated in the 1980s and 1990s to develop voluntary safety standards for WTORS and wheelchairs. In the United States, these efforts resulted in completion in 1996 of SAE Recommended Practice J2249 Wheelchair Tiedowns and Occupant Restraint Systems for Use in Motor Vehicles, which was followed in May 2000 by completion of Section 19 of ANSI/RESNA Wheelchair Standards, Wheelchairs for Use as Seats in Motor Vehicles, which is also known simply as WC19. Proper use of products that comply with these standards, which are referred to as transportation safety technologies (TSTs), will significantly increase transportation safety for wheelchair users as well as the ease of providing effective wheelchair securement and occupant restraint.