Automotive Mobility
The choice of one’s automotive vehicle is, arguably, the most defining statement of individuality
for modern man. And, once a choice is made, no one wants to have mobility issues dictate a change. Fortunately, there are now solutions for the use of virtually every type of vehicle.
Whether the issue is transporting your personal mobility device (wheelchair, scooter or power wheelchair); hand controls; or the safe transport of a loved one in a wheelchair within a moving vehicle, the solutions are here. A personal assessment, matching your mobility challenge with the wide array of products, may be a wise first step.
Funding is often available to help pay the cost of automotive accessibility products - click here to learn more.
To learn more about some automotive products that may help you regain or retain use of your vehicle, click on one of the following links.
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Wheelchair and Scooter Lifts
These incredible products easily lift, store, and allow transportation of your unoccupied wheelchair, scooter, or powerchair with every type of vehicle. Makes lifting and transporting your wheelchair, scooter or powerchair virtually effortless. We encourage you to choose a vehicle lift solution that can demonstrate safety and reliability through rigorous testing. Vehicle lifts can often require no structural modifications to your vehicle - they can be easily removed for vehicle resale or installed into your next vehicle.
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Vehicle lifts generally work with sedans, station wagons, hatchbacks, SUVs, CUVs (Crossover Utility Vehicles), minivans, pickup trucks and full-size vans.
To use a crane style vehicle lift (hoist), you generally hook a docking device to your mobility device and then press a button to raise the device and guide it into your vehicle. These types of lifts can either have a manual or powered rotation to guide your device into the vehicle.
Another type of interior vehicle lift is a platform lift. Simply roll your mobility device on the platform from either side, hit a button, and let the lift store your mobility device for you. Securement belts are included for safety during transport.
Exterior lifts raise and store your unoccupied scooter or powerchair outside your vehicle at the touch of a button. Simply roll your mobility device on the platform from either side, hit a button, and let the lift do all the work. Scooters and powerchairs are automatically secured when the lift is raised. Retractable belts are also available for securement.
The lifting capacity of vehicle lifts can vary from 150 lb/69 kg up to 400 lb/180 kg. When installing an outside lift, please ensure you check your vehicle's tongue weight rating to verify your hitch receiver capacity.
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Turning and Lowering Seats
| Turning automotive seats is a system that provides easy access into your vehicle. For higher vehicles, this is accomplished by the seat rotating, coming out of the vehicle, and down toward the ground, eliminating the climbing and twisting normally required to enter a higher vehicle. Normally, these seats can be stopped at any point, for your ideal transfer height. For lower vehicles, a seat can simply rotate out over the door sill. In either situation, the seat is easy to access. |
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These seats make entering and exiting your vehicle easy and safe. In most cases, they use the original vehicle seat belt. When choosing this product, it is highly advisible that you research that the product meets or exceeds all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards or the safety standards of your country.
Generally, there are no structural modifications needed, thereby not effecting your vehicle resale. These turning seats can be installed in sedans, station wagons, hatchbacks, SUVs, CUVs (Crossover Utility Vehicles), minivans, pickup trucks and full-size vans. These seats are available for both first row and second row, depending on the vehicle. People's vehicle needs will change over time; look for manufacturers that offer turning seats that can be quickly installed in another vehicle.
The user weight capacity for these seats can vary - when looking for a seat, make sure to account for a person's changing needs. Some seats can accommodate up to 330 lb/150 kg.
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Wheelchair Accessible Vans and Minivans
| Wheelchair accessible vans encompass a range of vehicles that have been modified to allow access by individuals who cannot transfer out of their manual or power wheelchair. The typical modifications performed are lowering the floor and adding a ramp so the chair can be rolled into the van. The process the vehicle must undergo to become wheelchair accessible is extremely intense, and if not undertaken with care, will result in a vehicle that is completely undriveable. |
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The cost of this conversion is generally $18,000–21,000 plus the cost of the minivan. Most conversions involve the following:
- The floor is generally lowered
- Front seating is modified to allow access from wheelchair
- Means of external access added (this is most often a ramp, lift, or turning seat)
- Suspension stiffened to allow extra weight of power chairs / additional weight from conversion
- Gas tanks may be modified or replaced with custom models
- Vehicle is tested to ensure full operation
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The text in this area was taken from Wikipedia's page on Wheelchair Accessible Vans.
Full-size vans are also adapted for people who use mobility devices, usually with lowered floors and electro-hydraulic lifts. Sometimes the roof and door is raised, and a conventional lift is used. There are inside lifts and under vehicle lifts. Modified full-size vans are ideal for larger families, and they provide more cargo space. They are a popular vehicle for driver independence and with people who use larger wheelchairs.
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Accessible RVs
| An RV lift is engineered for durability and ease of use and eliminates the need for widening the RV door. It is installed on the exterior of the RV next to the entrance door. The user sits on the lift chair, pushes the hand-held control button, rises gently on the vertical lift tube, and swings the chair through the door opening into the interior of the RV. The double-hinged design of the swing arm allows the durable aluminum chair to turn to any angle for easy loading. These lifts can be customized for each person's unique situation. |
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An RV lift usually operates with a motor that is powered by the RV accessory battery. It can be installed on most RVs with minimal modification to the RV. The lift must be supported at the bottom by a metal bracket that is firmly attached, (welded and/or bolted), to a solid member of the RV structure. The top of the lift tube is attached by a bracket through the exterior wall of the RV, using a metal backing plate on the inside wall. The swing arm and chair assembly extend 19" into the interior of the RV. If the RV does not have an automatic floor extension that covers the step well area, it is necessary for the installer to fabricate a step well cover so that the lift user does not fall into the step well area while stepping off of the lift chair onto the RV floor. When traveling, the chair and swing arm assembly is easily removed, and stowed inside the vehicle.
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Driving Aids
A person does not need to give up their vehicle just because of a disability, medical condition or amputation. There are many driving accessories that can aid a person, including hand controls, left foot gas pedals, joystick driving systems, modified gear shifters as well as other modifications.
ADED (The Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists) has many online fact sheets that can assist drivers with a variety of disabilities, injuries, or medical conditions, as well as elderly drivers. Click here to view these fact sheets. |
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Transporting Kids with Special Needs
| Transporting a child with a disability or a medical condition that limits mobility can be a challenge. Fortunately, there are many products available to help. Some turning and lowering seats can be used with a LATCH compliant child safety seat. LATCH (Lower Anchorage and Tether for CHildren) is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
requirements for restraining child safety seats (CSS) in vehicles built after September of 2002.
LATCH was put into place to make it easy to properly secure a CSS in a vehicle. |
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Special positioning belts are also available to keep the person seated properly while travelling and transitioning in and out of the vehicle. These belts do not replace a vehicle's seat belt in terms of protecting the passenger in the event of a crash.
If a child uses a mobility device (a wheelchair or scooter), a caregiver will need to transport that device if the child transfers into a seat. Wheelchair and scooter lifts can store the mobility device in a wide variety of vehicles. There are even mobility devices where the seat detaches from the base and locks into the vehicle, for a very easy transfer without the need to lift the child.
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