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The best car for a disabled driver
Nowadays, a car can be modified to fit the specifications set out by the disabled person. COURTESY PHOTO
What you need to know:
Just because you have a physical disability, it does not necessarily mean you cannot drive a car or truck. But in reality, some vehicles lend themselves to a disabled driver more than others.
Sam Gombya, a radio personality, says because of the ever advancing car technology, he is able to drive a car, a dream he had given up on 21 years ago. As someone who moves with support of a crutch, at that time, he recalls there were very few automatic cars in Uganda. Majority of them, including those in driving schools, were of manual transmission.
“When I enrolled in driving school, it was discovered that one of my legs did not have enough energy to drive a manual car yet it required me to use two legs to step on the clutch pedal and change gears. I just had to give up,” Gombya recalls.
“A few years later, automatic cars that a disabled person could drive using one leg were introduced. I had to resume my driving classes and since then, I have driven four different automatic transmission cars,” he adds.
Similarly, in 1982 during a motorcycle rally, Arthur Blick Sr became disabled as a result of an accident that did not spare his back. He has since then been confined to a wheelchair. However, his disability did not stop him from driving.
“I drive an automatic Toyota Prado that was adjusted to allow me control of the car using my hands. Its steering wheel column goes down and presses the brake and I use a stick that is positioned at the stomach area to press the accelerator,” Blick explains.
Before the Toyota Prado, Blick also drove the automatic Ford Cortina and Toyota Celica and the Suzuki that had manual transmissions, all of which he says were adjusted to suit his driving suitability. “At the workshop along Rubaga Road where my car was modified, the clutch of the manual Suzuki was put on the gear lever and it allowed me press the clutch with one finger just like a motorcycle,” Blick says. Despite being disabled, Blick has been driving for the last 20 years.
Suitable car?
Gombya first drove an automatic Toyota Corolla, Toyota Caldina, Nissan Elgrand and currently drives a Toyota Super Custom. He says he has driven mostly vans because of the interior space they offer.
Abby Ddungu, a car dealer at Rubaga agrees with Gombya and Blick that people with disabilities can drive any car of their choice. Ddungu is, however, quick to advise that the car you choose to drive should be able to accommodate your needs.
“There are people who have one disabled arm but with normal legs and those with normal arms but with disabled legs. If your legs are disabled and you cannot reach the car pedals, the car you choose can be adjusted to allow you control it using your hands,” Ddungu explains.
He recommends low profile cars such as Toyota Wish, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Beetle. This, he says, is because these cars do not require you to first climb a step to get into the car seat.
Besides, their seats are adjustable, and can be pushed behind to give you more driving space or pulled to the front to enable you reach the steering wheel.
Blick says if your legs are normal and one of both hands are disabled, it is still possible to drive using one hand but with a lot of caution, depending on how you hold the steering wheel.
Gombya recommends a Toyota Spacio because it has a spacious interior that provides you with ample turning space in case you want to pick or drop something from the back seats without first disembarking from the car.
Consider
According to TheMighty, an online portal, a Honda CR-V is easy to get into and has mobility aids in the back. The backup camera helps too and not just for expected hazards. It is great for times when you may forget something behind the car so you can see it instead of running it over or leaving it behind. It also has a perfect height to get in and out of easily.
The portal also recommends a Subaru Forester or a similar Sport Utility Vehicle because it is easy to get in and out. It is also not too high and not too low. The lift back makes it easy to put your wheelchair or walker in the back. Also, some of them have a luggage rack on the top.
