Determined to Drive

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When my foot wedged itself between the gas and brake pedals, I dismissed it as a fluke. The second time it happened, I was on a busy New Orleans interstate. My heart raced. I panicked, but I managed to dislodge my foot. I told no one what had happened, not even my husband.

Determined to be more careful while driving, I’d periodically look down at my feet, checking that my right foot was properly positioned. One morning, I put my car into reverse, backed out of my driveway and lost control of the minivan. For those terrifying few seconds my foot hadn’t couldn’t connect with the brake.

As I drove onto my neighbor’s front yard, I knew I needed help.

At the age of 36, with a full-time job and a toddler, I wasn’t ready to give up driving. On my legs, which were weakened by Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, I wore braces to prevent drop foot. I used crutches to walk. The accident in my neighbor’s yard forced me to acknowledge that my driving was affected.

The first place I turned for help was to my local rehabilitation hospital. A trained occupational therapist assessed my needs and advised me to get hand controls, which would enable me to drive without using my feet.

I looked in the telephone book for a company that made vehicle adaptations, and within a day, the hand controls were installed.

The controls are mounted to the gas and brake pedals, allowing the driver to operate the brake by pushing the lever toward the floor and the accelerator by pulling the lever up.

Other drivers can still drive the car with foot controls. (In fact, we learned to warn strangers not to try using the hand controls. We’ve heard horror stories about crashes caused by overconfident valet parkers.)

Driving without foot pedals takes some training.

The occupational therapist had the job of training me to drive with my adaptive device. We met in an empty parking lot, and I practiced driving with my hands instead of my feet. My left hand controlled the brake and gas, while my right hand turned the steering wheel.

Yes, it felt strange. At first I drove slowly. I would jerk the car to a stop. I would move forward and jerk again. I had to remind myself: "Don’t use your feet." It was awkward.

I couldn’t turn the steering wheel with one hand. (My left hand had to remain on the controls at all times.) The instructor suggested I add a spinner knob to the steering wheel. After making that change, I could easily steer with one hand.

My fear of driving was quickly replaced with confidence. I'd made the transition from conventional driving to driving with hand controls.

In the decade since I began using hand controls, the resources available to consumers who need to modify vehicles because of disabilities have grown. Here is a step-by-step guide to the process.

Evaluation
Driver rehab specialists perform evaluations to determine your adaptive equipment needs. The Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists trade association of professionals in the field of driver education and transportation equipment modifications for people with disabilities. The association maintains a database of certified driver rehabilitation specialists who will conduct the following services:

Clinical evaluation - Each driver receives applicable testing in the areas of physical functioning and visual/ perceptual/cognitive screening. If needed, the specialists perform a wheelchair/seating assessment.

Driving evaluation - This service includes an on-the-road performance assessment of the client in an actual driving environment using equipment similar to the prescribed equipment.

Vehicle modification prescription - The specialist writes a "prescription" for modifications that you can take to the company that will modify the vehicle.

Driver education - The specialist offers sufficient practice and training to enable the client to operate the vehicle with the prescribed equipment at a level that meets the clients needs for a drivers license.

Final fitting - The client receives a final fitting and an operational assessment in his or her modified vehicle.

Dozens of adaptive aids are on the market. One choice doesn’t fit everyone.  Take your time and investigate all the options before making any purchase.