A driving question...

An interesting topic was brought to my attention today. A 12 year old wheelchair user with spina bifida was AMAZED to find out that in four years he would be able to get a license and drive a car. "OK explain step by step how that is even possible!" the sharp, soon-to-be teen replied. It was clear that he had honestly never thought that being able to drive one day was something he could easily do.

His response surprised me because everyone, including myself, can take certain things for granted. I was able-bodied until the age of 25 and, as a healthy young man, enjoyed what healthy, able-bodied young people do. One of those things was the simple ability to drive a car. While in the rehab hospital I had good therapists who informed me all about the adaptive driving controls that were available to people with all types of disabilities. It took just over seven months after my injury to have bought a car, install hand controls, figure out how to get my manual wheelchair inside by myself and be on the road again.

Now here I was, just over seven years post injury, taking for granted something that has again become second nature to me. Though I was a bit abashed, the whole realization happened pretty fast so the explanation of how I get into my car came without skipping too many beats.

1. Open the door and transfer into the driver's seat.
2. Break down my chair with the wheels/backpack going in the backseat and my chair with its back folded down coming across my body to the passenger seat.
3. Swing my legs into the car and start it up.
4. Steer with my right hand (and a spinner "suicide" knob on the steering wheel) and brake/throttle with my left hand (pushing forward for brake and back towards me for throttle). The system looks a lot like this with the hand control being connected to the foot petals below.

I must mention this blog's overarching disclaimer -- my solution is not THE solution. I have friends who drive trucks that are equipped with small lifts that swing around to the driver's side and pick up the wheelchair and set it in the bed. Still other friends, some with electric chairs or those who can't easily transfer out of their manual one, drive vans with heavy duty lifts. Most of these vans have the whole driver's seat removed so that an electric chair can "latch" into its place using a special lock.

"That's awesome," said the 12 year old, "but I don't think my mom will be able to afford something like that."

This is a savvy kid so I can see why this thought ran through his head. It seems these days that anything sold that has anything to do with being "medically needed" is four times more expensive than it needs to be (at least)! However there is a little silver lining in this cloud.

Fortunately most of the major car manufacturers including Ford, GM, Toyota, Volkswagen, Honda, Acura, Lexus, Volvo, Lexus, and Chrysler offer up to $1000 towards the cost of installation. That will pretty much cover the more simple controls like mine but when lifts and/or electronic adaptive throttle/brake systems are needed the costs can really skyrocket. If this is your situation and you happen to live in Texas, contact DARS. This state agency's mission is literally to partner with Texans with disabilities and their families to ensure their full participation in society. In many situations that certainly includes providing funds for adaptive driving conversions. Not in Texas? Well I guarantee your state has a vocational rehabilitation department and to prove it I spent five seconds doing a Google search and found a comprehensive list here. The National Mobility Equipment Dealer's Association (NMEDA) has some great tips on equipment and funding. You can also try some of the other public or private sources listed here.

The bottom line is there are so many adaptive driving aides out there that with a little research to find someone with a little ingenuity, a solution can likely be had. I do suggest reaching out a to a driving rehabilitation specialist who can help find the best solution possible. Contact your state's vocational rehab department - they should have a list of specialists local to your area. Before you install your solution however, find out what your state's licensing requirements are for people driving with adaptive controls. I had to perform a driving test with a Texas State Trooper sitting next to me - yikes! I would of tested perfect but he said I stopped after the line at a four-way. Never happened sir, never happened...

So, after answering all of this 12 year old's questions I had just one for him -- "Do you think you're going to do better on the driving test than I did?"