Access to a car enables a free lifestyle away from home, but typical vehicles lack complete accessibility. Vehicle access aids enable you to tailor the accessibility of your vehicle to your specific needs.
What are vehicle accessibility aids?
Car accessibility adaptations can be fitted to aid drivers and passengers when transferring in and out of a vehicle.
Who can use vehicle accessibility aids?
If you struggle to get seated into a standard car seat, there are a range of accessibility aids to benefit from. From a wheelchair user with complex physical disabilities or a lower limb amputee, to someone who is slightly unsteady on their feet.
What type of vehicle accessibility aids are available?
Transfer Plates
Provide a stable temporary platform on the outer edge of the car seat to bridge the gap, enabling the user to pause and pivot. They are particularly beneficial for those who have difficulty lifting their legs or moving from a sitting to a standing position.
Side Steps
Improve access to taller vehicles such as vans, buses, and 4x4s. They provide an additional platform to reduce the step height from the ground to the vehicle floor.
Person Hoists
Offer safe and easy access into conventional vehicles via a fitted sling. This transfer method removes the requirement for a caregiver to physically lift the user as part of their transfer in or out of the vehicle.
Swivel Seats
Enable easy access by turning up to 90 degrees outside the vehicle, lowering, and even transferring from the vehicle entirely onto a frame. A swivel seat, suitable for various mobility levels, enhances safety and comfort when entering and exiting a vehicle.
How to obtain vehicle accessibility aids?
Consult a vehicle adaptation supplier like Mobility in Motion for guidance on installing accessibility aids in your car. The Mobility in Motion team advises on every step, from assessment to installation.
Call Mobility in Motion on 0800 009 2338 or visit their website.
They have further guidance on adapting your car with their guide to driving aids and beginners guide to car adaptations.