Adapting Your Car for Disabilities

If you need to customize your car to adapt it for a driver who only has the use of one arm or a weakened arm, you may consider adaptations including: a steering wheel knob fitted to the rim of the steering wheel, automatic transmission, direction indicators and the horn within finger reach or as foot controls, which you can operate without letting go of the wheel, moving the handbrake to the right of the driver’s seat, or joystick steering

If you have an artificial limb fitted below the elbow you can drive a car using a special concave limb attachment fitted over the steering wheel or the gear lever.  Even if you have lost the use of both arms, you can still drive with redesigned car controls. You could also try a foot steering system.

 If you have lost the use of one of your legs or have reduced usage in one leg, the adaptations you may consider include: an automatic transmission car, which does not require the use of a clutch, moving the accelerator on an automatic car to the left side of the foot brake if you have a right leg disability, a semi-automatic clutch, which allows you to use a manual gearbox without clutch pedals

If you have lost the use of both legs, you may consider adaptations like: hand controls, especially with an automatic transmission, steering assistance

There are accessories and adaptations that can make it easier to get in and out of your vehicle which may be particularly useful if you need a wheelchair.

If you are looking for a pre-owned vehicle to customize for a handicapped driver, visit your local Cross Keys Auto used car sales department today.

It can be difficult to transfer from a wheelchair into a car. You can use a board, lifting belts or leg lifters. There are also hoists, lifts to lift you and your chair into the car and specially converted cars or vans that you can drive your wheelchair into.