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Starting to drive again is one of the landmark steps for people who have experienced a spinal cord injury or loss of limb. The good news: there are now many options available in adaptive vehicles. Whether you are retrofitting an existing vehicle using the most recent assistive technology (also known as adaptive technology), or starting from scratch to outfit a new vehicle, the following information will help you make wise choices that fit your personal circumstances.

Who does what? Who has the answers you need? And what do you need to do before you’re “approved” to start driving again? Read on.

Who Does What?

Manufacturers
Manufacturers fall into two categories:. the manufacturers of the original vehicles (companies like Ford, Toyota, GM, etc.), also referred to as OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), and manufacturers of adaptive equipment. These companies either manufacture components that “bolt on” to an OEM vehicle or they perform substantial structural and mechanical alterations to the vehicle such as raising the vehicle’s roof and door or lowering the vehicle floor. Those that manufacture “bolt on” products are referred to as equipment manufacturers and those that perform substantial structural modifications are referred to as second stage manufacturers, alterers, or modifiers.

Dealers or retailers
These are the companies that you, as the consumer, will interact with. They are your retail source for adaptive equipment. They either sell you components and modifications for your existing vehicle or sell you a complete and fully modified vehicle. They are the representatives and distributors of products from many of the second stage manufacturers, alterers, or equipment manufacturers. 

Driver evaluators and trainers
These are the professional individuals that determine the equipment needs of disabled persons who wish to drive a vehicle independently. They also provide the required training that disabled individuals need in order to effectively and safely drive a modified vehicle. Locate local evaluators and trainers through the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (www.driver-ed.org) under CDRS Directory.

National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) 
NMEDA is the industry association that establishes and administers quality and safety standards for those who sell adaptive vehicles and mobility equipment, including wheelchairs. As part of this process, it facilitates a Quality Assurance Program (QAP) for industry dealers. The NMEDA website (www.nmeda.org) also provides contact information for Veterans Administration and Vocational Rehabilitation agencies as well as OEM rebate programs.

The Purchasing Process
The first step is contacting a dealer or retailer in your area who is knowledgeable about evaluating both your physical needs and the best adaptive technology solutions for your individual circumstances.  (The NMEDA website will have contact information for the dealer closest to you; find at www.nmeda.org/directory/dealers). The dealer will talk with you about your needs, desires, and constraints and then recommend the vehicle(s) and equipment choices that best fit your needs and budget. NMEDA suggests that as part of evaluating your options, you may want to consult several dealers and gather several recommendations before making a purchase decision.

Once you’ve made your choice, the dealer will then do one of three things:
• Modify your vehicle with purchased components from equipment manufacturers and/or internal manufacturing processes, or
• Purchase a modified vehicle from a second-stage manufacturer or a modifier and then add the final “touches” with components from equipment manufacturers, or
• Send your vehicle to a second-stage manufacturer, or modifier for structural modifications before adding the final “touches.”

What Do Driver Evaluators Do?
Driver evaluators and trainers fit into the process in several ways:
• You may consult with them before you search for dealers to determine what adaptive equipment you need. This process may include having you drive several vehicles equipped with different adaptive technologies to see what best suits you. The evaluator will document your needs in a written “prescription,” which you’ll then take to a dealer will use it to price the specified options.
• If you have been evaluated by a driver trainer, he or she will commonly come to the “fitting” phase, where your modified vehicle is tailored to your particular physical circumstances. The fitting step is where all of the adaptive equipment is positioned in locations appropriate to your needs.
• Once the vehicle is complete and you are ready to drive the vehicle independently, the driver evaluator/trainer will teach you how to properly and safely drive your modified vehicle.

Where to Buy Adaptive Equipment
There are three options for finding and purchasing adaptive equipment:
• You can visit a dealer’s physical location, where you’ll have an opportunity to with a sales representative and try out a variety of equipment options in person. (NMEDA recommends that you use a NMEDA dealer in order to ensure that industry safety and quality standards are being adhered to.)
• You can view the products online and discuss your options over the phone with a sales representative.
• You can contact private individuals who may be selling their used modified vehicle or equipment to others, either online or in person. These opportunities are commonly found among classifieds sections, either in print or online.

What to Buy
You have two choices in two categories: new or used vehicles, and new or used equipment.

New or Used Vehicles 
New vehicles and equipment can be purchased from adaptive technology dealers, such as those belonging to NMEDA, who specialize in knowing both how to assess your specific driving needs related to your disability and the adaptive technology options available to meet those needs. As noted, you can find a dealer in your area by visiting www.nmeda.org.

New or Used Equipment 
Used vehicles and equipment can also be of great value, but will probably require a greater investment of time and possibly money to determine the condition and history of the vehicle and/or equipment.

Also, although used equipment purchased from dealers usually includes warranties, items purchased online or from private individuals probably will not. Consequently, if considering this option you’ll want to be especially diligent about determining whether a give purchase will truly meet your needs. At a minimum, you’ll want to verify that the products will work in your vehicle; are right for your physical size, weight, and disability; will work with your wheelchair (if appropriate); and does not include parts that are obsolete or worn out (e.g., wheelchair tie downs.) Also, you’ll need to find a qualified individual to install adaptive equipment purchased in the private market if you are not able to do it yourself. (Most dealers won’t install equipment that they did not sell.)

What equipment?  As stated previously, there are many equipment manufacturers. You may want to research your equipment options online before either visiting a dealer or considering used equipment (or after visiting a dealer and learning what equipment they sell). One way to do that is to visit manufacturers’ websites, many of which are very informative. Also, if working with a dealer, you can contact most manufacturers to verify if your dealer is an authorized distributor of their products and confirm that the dealer’s recommendations are appropriate and applicable to your vehicle and physical circumstances.

For wheelchairs being transported in vehicles, you may also want to check out the RERC on Wheelchair Transportation Safety, www.rercwts.org, which provides important information about WC-19 compliant wheelchairs (i.e., wheelchairs designed to be safe while being transported in a vehicle).

Things to Consider Before Making Your Purchase

Your Wheelchair or Scooter
The size, dimensions and features of your wheelchair or scooter can greatly influence the vehicle and equipment that will work best for you and can therefore greatly affect the cost of your adaptive equipment and vehicle modifications.  If you’re working with a dealer, it’s always preferable to contact a dealer and discuss your needs and desires for your vehicle prior to purchasing your wheelchair or scooter. If you already have your wheelchair or scooter, inform your dealer if you plan to purchase a different one soon, so the dealer can recommend adaptive equipment that may be useful for your future wheelchair or scooter. (For information on wheelchair safety and compliance, e.g., SAEJ2249, visit www.travelsafer.org/.)

• Will you be using the vehicle independently or with fulltime assistance?  The answer to this question can greatly alter what vehicles and equipment will be appropriate for you. If you have fulltime assistance, you can possibly save considerable money by buying manually operated products as opposed to automatic products. If you will be using the vehicle alone, you’ll want to focus on adaptive equipment suited to your specific needs and abilities (that is, automated for easier operation).
• Will you be remaining in your wheelchair while getting into and out of the vehicle, and while the vehicle is in motion?  This question can also be dependent on your answer to the previous question. Again, your equipment and vehicle options greatly vary depending on whether you remain in your mobility aid or not when entering, exiting or traveling in the vehicle. Your physical abilities play a significant role in the options that are available to you.
• Are you driving the vehicle with adaptive equipment or riding as a passenger?  Driving a vehicle with adaptive controls can vary from relatively simple inexpensive modifications such as spinner knobs and hand controls to more complicated and expensive systems costing as much as the vehicle. The process of driving a vehicle with adaptive controls can be highly complex, so you may want to consult with industry professionals who can help with both the technology and training.
• Where and how are you going to use the modified vehicle?  Consider issues such as road conditions in your usage area, weather, number of passengers and cargo weight and size requirements.
   
  The answers to these questions will help you determine your available options. You’ll probably also want to  consult with NMEDA dealers, manufacturers, driver trainers/evaluators, and other members of the disabled community to get the best sense of what adaptive technology and equipment choices and vehicle modifications most effectively meet your needs.

Safety and Compliance
The safety of you, your passengers, and everyone else on the roadway is a paramount consideration when purchasing and using an adaptive vehicle.  Some important issues to consider:

Training
Make sure you thoroughly understand your adaptive driving controls, equipment, and related systems. If you purchase online or from a private party, work with your driver evaluator/trainer to make sure you have completely mastered the equipment and understand all safety, maintenance, and usage information.

If you purchase from a dealer, make sure your purchase includes being properly trained in the use of your adaptive equipment during the “delivery process,” which is the term used to describe the method by which the dealer provides you with your completed vehicle. This process should be very thorough and never rushed. Your proper education on how to use and maintain your adaptive equipment and vehicle is crucial in reducing the chances of personal injury to you or those who use your vehicle. During this process you should receive and review with your dealer the owner’s manuals from each piece of adaptive equipment in your vehicle. This is also the time to determine your responsibilities to ensure that the equipment stays in safe and good operating condition.

Service
Because of the complexity of many assistive technologies, regular maintenance and service is critical to ensuring safe operation and reliability.  However, servicing adaptive vehicles and equipment is not the same as a routine oil change. Adaptive technologies can present complex maintenance challenges, so part of your responsibility as an owner will be to understand all of your adaptive vehicle or equipment’s maintenance needs and to find service providers for those items you can’t do yourself. If you have purchased from a local dealer, they will usually offer service and maintenance support; if you have purchased online or through a private party, you’ll want to determine who is qualified in your area to provide these services for you before you need their assistance.

Compliance
Regardless of whether you purchase your adaptive vehicle or equipment from a local dealer, online, or from a private party, making sure that the seller is in compliance with industry standards and Federal regulations will help ensure that you purchase a vehicle, equipment, and/or modifications that are safe and appropriate to your needs. If you are purchasing from a dealer who is a NMEDA member, check  to make sure that participate in the organization’s Quality Assurance Program (QAP), which requires that all participating members be inspected by an independent engineering firm to monitor quality, compliance and other company issues such as insurance and proper registration with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (The QAP is a voluntary program and participating dealers agree to abide by industry guidelines, developed by NMEDA, in regard to the procedures and processes they follow when modifying vehicles.)

Another dealer quality and compliance indicator to check for is NHTSA registration, a program of the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which develops and enforces safety regulations for OEMs. NHTSA registration ensures that adaptive vehicles, equipment, and modifications sold by dealers comply with federal safety regulations. (Call 888-327-4236 or go to www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/adaptive/Modifier/Index.cfm to verify a dealer’s registration.)

Finally, if you are working with a local dealer, always ask them whether they conform to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), regulations developed and administered by NHTSA that primarily apply to OEMs, and how these regulations relate to your modifications.

Warranty and Service Considerations
If you purchase your adaptive equipment from a dealer or manufacturer, the level of service and the warranty you receive are substantial factors in the value they add. As part of your purchase decision, you should consider these questions:

Where is the service location? 
If you buy from a dealer in your local market, your service location is usually the same as the sales location. If you purchase from an online retailer or personal individual, finding a service location may prove difficult, as many dealers won’t service equipment brands that they do not sell because of safety concerns.

Is after-hours service available?  
This can be an important consideration if you are highly dependent on your adapted vehicle, and a system malfunction can be seriously disruptive to your life.  If so, you may want to verify 24-hour or after-hours availability of technicians (NMEDA dealers provide 24 hour after hours answering service).

Can you get your adaptive equipment serviced and/or /repaired when on vacation? 
If your equipment has been purchased online or through a private party, you’ll want to do a bit of research before you travel to identify where to get your vehicle repaired should the need arise. If you purchase from a dealer, they should be able to tell you what other dealers within a given geographic location can provide service for your specific adaptive equipment.

What are the terms of the warranties?  
All new adaptive equipment and modifications should come with a warranty. Like vehicle warranties, warranties for adaptive vehicles and equipment vary in terms and coverage. Some warranties only cover parts and others cover parts and labor. Always require a dealer or online seller of new equipment to provide you with the written terms of all warranties during the sales process. Extended warranties should also be considered. Repairs to adaptive equipment can be very expensive and warranties can help lower the lifetime operating costs of the equipment.

Funding
Purchasing a modified vehicle can be very expensive, so it makes sense to check out all possible options for funding assistance. Some options to research:

State agencies
Every state has a Vocational Rehabilitation Program. These are state-funded programs that assist disabled individuals to get back into or remain in the work place. In some cases they provide funding for vehicle modifications. Check with your local program for qualifications.

Veterans Administration
The Veterans Administration funds adaptive equipment for qualifying veterans. Inquire at www.va.gov/about_va or 202-273-7124.

Charitable organizations and/or churches
Check with your local public library for a list of the charitable organizations and churches in your area, and ask the librarian if he or she is aware of any other resources that might be useful in your research.

Mobility rebate programs
Most vehicle manufacturers (Ford, GM, Toyota, etc.) provide rebates to purchasers of new vehicles that require modifications for disabilities. Before you purchase a new vehicle for modifications, inquire with your dealer about applicable rebates.

Special finance programs
A wide variety of programs are available for financing mobility vehicles, including loans with extended terms, leasing packages, and more. Check with your dealer for more information about special financing programs being offered.

Resources
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
www.nhtsa.gov
The portal to the federal agency that regulates adaptive vehicles. From the home page select “Traffic Safety” at the top of the page then “Disabled Drivers and Passengers.”

Ride Safe Brochure
www.travelsafer.org
Information to help you travel more safely in motor vehicles while seated in your wheelchair.

Provided by the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Assn., Sponsored by SRD Bolduc Inc.