Vehicle Adaptations

The freedom to travel where and when we want to permits freedom to seek employment, attend social activities and in general become involved in the main stream of life. The availability of public transportation that is accessible to persons with a disability varies from city to city. Only the ability to drive a vehicle can make unlimited freedom of travel possible. This is particularly true for the person with special needs.

There have been many advances made in the area of adaptive driving equipment for persons with disabilities over the past few years. Advances like reduced effort steering systems for persons with limited strength in their arms and head operated switches to activate headlight, horn, and other accessory controls for persons with limited hand function are now readily available.

However, many people do not realize the complexity of the driving task. It involves more than the physical ability to operate controls. It requires adequate vision and the mental skills to process what we see in a manner quick enough to insure safe, efficient decisions while behind the wheel for the driver, his or her passengers and other road users.

It is for this reason that it is highly recommended that an individual with a physical disability, seek the assistance of a driver rehabilitation specialist. This is an individual who specializes in the field of driver evaluation and education for persons with disabilities.

The evaluation process usually includes tests of physical function, visual skills, reaction time, and mental skills in addition to actual driving performance tests. Based on the results of these evaluations, the driver rehabilitation specialist will determine what if any adaptive driving equipment you may need, whether you have the potential to drive independently and whether you require further driver training.

The information on the next page is based on the experience of driver rehabilitation specialists and other professionals who work with individuals who require adaptive devices for their motor vehicles. It is centered around a proven process:

                1) evaluating your needs
                2) selecting the right vehicle or adaptive device
                3) choosing a qualified entity to modify your vehicle
                4) being trained in the new devices
                5) maintaining your vehicle or adaptive device