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There is a new style of hand control that is relatively new to the market.  I had the opportunity to have one installed in a client’s vehicle.  It is called the Menox.  There is a comparable hand controls manufactured Mobility Products and Design (MPD), but while I haven’t seen that one, consensus at a conference I attended recently was that many people have difficulty getting full brake with the MPD design unless reduced effort brakes are installed.  The MPD is less expensive but with most people needing the addition of low effort brakes, the Menox may be more cost efficient if you don’t already need low effort brakes. 

I would not advocate the use of the Menox when traditional less expensive hand controls will work, but in the situation with my client, we could not get a proper fit with traditional hand controls.  He was 6-foot 6-inches and all leg.  We tried him in our full sized sedan and in our minivan and we could not get proper acceleration before running the controls into his leg whether we used a right push-rock hand control or a right and left push-right angle hand control.  The Menox was installed on the right hand side along side of the center console. 

The advantage of the Menox over traditional right side hand controls, is that it has a brake lock which allows the driver lock the brake when using the gear shift so you do not have the awkward reach over the steering wheel with your left hand while holding the brake down because the brake lock allows you to let go of the hand control while stopped.  This can also be a beneficial feature when stopped.  You can let go of the hand control with the lock on and change your radio setting or not have to put the car in park while paying or waiting for your order at a drive through.

The Menox comes standard with accelerator brake and brake latch.  The Menox Standard Plus adds buttons that can be set up to operate your cruise control and horn.  The Menox Multifunction can be set up to operate cruise control, horn, turn signals, wipers and head lights and the buttons are conveniently located on the hand control grip.  I understand that the hand control can be placed on the left for wheelchair users using a ramp van and entering the driver station from the right.  If the car is used by an able bodied driver, the left configuration may make it difficult to enter the driver seat from the driver door, so that may be a consideration when considering this device.

You can obtain more information from www.drivingsystems.com or www.menox.org.  It also comes in stylish colors that match your vehicle, so you have more choice.