In 1988 I bought a brand new Dodge Shadow. It was the last unmodified car I would own. About 10 months after making the purchase, I had a serious crash and the car was destroyed. I developed a spinal cord injury that necessitated the use of hand controls to operate my car. This was my introduction to automobile adaptations.
The automobile modification industry is small. According to the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (http://www.nmeda.org/), there are roughly 800 conversion companies throughout the United States. Out of the millions of vehicles produced each year, only about 20,000 are modified for use by people with disabilities. Adaptations make driving possible for those with spinal cord injuries, amputees and sufferers of severe arthritis. Where would they be without hand controls, left-foot accelerator pedals, and entry ramps?
Mechanical devices such as hand controls have not changed much over the years, aside from minor cosmetics that make them look less blatantly added-on. But electrical adaptations are becoming more a part of everyday modifications. Auxiliary switches are put within easier reach of drivers. Voice control devices are taking the place of many manual controls. In my mind one of the most important achievements in recent years is the rear-view camera. For mobility impaired drivers, these devices are a real boon. If you’re a quadriplegic buying a lowered-floor minivan, chances are you will not be able to see behind you without extensive use of the mirrors. Even then, that blind spot below the rear window is very large. Cameras help. They’re great for parking and watching out for wayward kids or pets.
Many consumers believe that any vehicle can be modified to hold any kind of adaptive device, but this isn’t true. Most foreign-made minivans, for example, don’t have the room to hold a ramp or lift. And, depending on the way the vehicle bodies are constructed, it may be impossible to drop the floor or raise the roof.
Every year vehicle manufacturers make changes in the electrical systems and physical layout of their products. Secondary control system manufacturers (for heater, radio, directionals, etc.) are having a hard time adding auxiliary switches into electrical systems. Installing something as simple as a remote horn button is becoming a problem. In my car the hand control is bolted onto the steering column. But these days many vehicles don’t have solid steering columns. Prospective consumers should consult with modification experts to make sure their dream vehicles can accommodate the required adaptations.
The automobile industry has worked closely with adaptive equipment manufacturers and installers over the years to make sure people with disabilities have a wide selection of vehicles from which to choose. All the major manufacturers conduct focus groups to test their designs. Several of them use “virtual cars” and “aging suits” to simulate various medical conditions and disabilities.
Because of tools such as these, many of the ideas that began with the adaptive equipment business have been taken over by the automobile manufacturers. Automatic sliding doors for vans are one example. Today every van on the road has one or more, but they were first introduced 25 years ago as adaptive equipment.
If you need to have a new or used vehicle modified, it’s best to have someone with medical knowledge conduct a full evaluation first. There can be many implications to driving with a disability. An individual’s strength, dexterity, and visual perception all come into play. The best way to find a driver evaluation program near you is by contacting the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (http://www.driver-ed.org/).
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