Types of wheelchair accessible vehicles?

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There are several types of wheelchair accessible vehicles. Many of these can accommodate wheelchair users as passengers, but require someone else to drive. Some of these vehicles, however, can also accommodate a wheelchair driver. To achieve this, some modifications usually have to be made to the vehicles.

Wheelchair accessible vans are the vehicles most people think of when they hear about handicap accessible vehicles. These are often modified so that a disabled individual can easily enter the van. Ramps or lifts are usually attached to the vans to make this possible. These can be lowered and raised by hand or with a small motor.

Large conversion vans and smaller minivans can be converted to wheelchair accessible vehicles. With minivans, wheelchair passengers usually enter through the side. Larger vans allow passengers to enter from the rear, which may be a bit easier for some.

Purchasing or modifying wheelchair accessible vehicles can be quite expensive. Because of this, most towns and cities have wheelchair accessible vehicles available to the public. These buses or vans can travel around the city on a designated route, or some services will go to a person’s home to pick them up. These vehicles can often be rented for a small fee. Some organizations, such as churches or government agencies, may also provide access to these vehicles free of charge for low-income people.

With today’s technology, people in wheelchairs are not just limited to being passengers in handicap-accessible vehicles. They may also drive certain vehicles. Of course, there are certain modifications that must be made to a vehicle before this is possible.

In wheelchair accessible cars and wheelchair accessible trucks, the driver’s seats are often removed. This allows a person using a wheelchair to simply maneuver the wheelchair into the driver’s position. However, some vehicles have seats that swivel, making it easier for a disabled person to get into. In this case, there is usually an area to store and transport a wheelchair until you need it again.

Since regular pedals on the floor are not usually used by a paraplegic, other modifications must be made as well. A joystick is the most common. This can be used for acceleration and sometimes steering.

Vans, cars and trucks are not the only type of wheelchair accessible vehicles available today. People with disabilities can now even drive motorcycles. These often have three wheels instead of two, or may have a sidecar attached. Like other types of disabled vehicles, wheelchair accessible motorcycles are also operated using hand controls or joysticks.

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