The ins and outs of choosing a car (view report contents)
Wheelchair users
Transfer accessories
If you don’t have enough arm strength and dexterity to be able to swing yourself in and out of the car you may be able to slide sideways from your wheelchair using a transfer board.
These bridge the gap between your wheelchair and the car seat. If you
are very heavy, you may still need to be fairly strong or need an assistant.
A swivel seat may help.
Transfer boards are usually varnished or polished to make them easier
to slide on. Some are angled to help you move across awkward gaps. A more
expensive type has a sliding section which you sit on. From general aid
suppliers - £12-£50 - £250 for the moving board. From general
aid suppliers.
This transfer board has a seat which slides
Belts and discs
If someone helps you in and out of a car, a belt which fits around your waist can help with the lifting. A turning disc on which you put you feet may make it easier for your assistant to swivel you round. From general aid suppliers, £5-£40 for a belt and £50-£60 for a disc.
A lifting belt may be useful if your assistant is strong enough
Hoists to lift you from your wheelchair
You transfer to a sling and move across in it to the car seat. With most you will need help to do this. If you are tall and your legs are not very supple, you may find it difficult to get them into the car. For details of hoists see our report People lifters.
Hoists to lift a wheelchair into a car
If you (or your assistant) cannot lift your wheelchair into the car a hoist can be fitted in the boot or hatch. The chair needs to be secured once inside. You need to be able to get from the back of the car to the front seat without your wheelchair. If you can’t do this consider one which puts the wheelchair on top of the car or one which fits behind the front seats. If you have a scooter, you may have to dismantle it. For details of all this equipment see our report Getting a wheelchair into a car.
Carrier racks
These are specially designed racks which fit onto a towing ball. They
allow a single folded wheelchair to be carried on the outside of a car.
The Sto-eazy is a box which fits on to the tow bar it will take a single
folded chair. The box locks and protects the chair from the weather. It
has a built in ramp and lowers the chair to the ground by power. Details
in Getting a wheelchair
into a car.
An easy to use rack for carrying a wheelchair
Trailers
You can carry a large wheelchair or scooter in a flat trailer. Some have built in ramps and one type folds up so you can park in a normally-sized space.
The Scooter-Tote swivels to let the ramp down onto the pavement
You may need a cover to protect the chair against the weather. Parking may be a problem. Many trailers are not specially made for wheelchairs, so try specialist trailer manufacturers (look in a classified phone book under Trailer manufacturers and suppliers); £400-£600 +VAT. Details of all these are in Getting a wheelchair into a car.
Ramps
Ramps are useful for heavier powered chairs and those which can’t easily be dismantled. You may need to fold the back of the wheelchair seat forward to get it in the car. An empty powered wheelchair or scooter can be guided up the ramp under its own power - check it can manage the slope. Most ramps can be folded so they will fit in the boot. You need a wide ramp for three-wheeled scooters. Ideally you need a vehicle with a flat or low sill - otherwise you may have to fit a ramp on the inside too. From adaptation manufacturers; £100-£400.
Portable ramps are carried in the car.
Report contents
Introduction
Car design
Choosing a car
What to look for -
- Useful built-in features
- Getting in and out
- Seats and seating
- Major controls
- Secondary controls
- Accessories
- Loading and stowing
- Wheelchair users
- Staying in your wheelchair
- Buying second hand
Checklist
Techniques
Who can drive?
Getting insurance
Finance
Helpful organisations
Mobility Centres
Useful publications
Addresses
