Automotive Access: Hitting the Road with Confidence
Advances in technology make it easier than ever for wheelchair users to ride in private vehicles ranging from compact cars to pickup trucks and SUVs and everything in between. Hand controls and wheelchair securement systems make it possible for a number of wheelchair users to drive their own vehicles. But finding qualified adaptive automotive experts is the key to successful future road trips.
Start Your Engines: The National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (nmeda.org) is a non-profit industry organization made up of mobility dealers (i.e., the people who sell, build, install and repair automotive mobility equipment) as well as the manufacturers who make the equipment. NMEDA holds members to a wide range of educational, training and quality standards — and they’re vastly different than the education and training that the average car dealer has. A driver rehabilitation specialist (aded.net) can help to assess traits such as your range of motion to determine what sorts of automotive assistive technology could be helpful.
Accelerating: NMEDA and mobility industry manufacturers sponsor an annual National Mobility Awareness Month every May. It’s a great way to find a local mobility dealer open house where you can check out mobility vehicles and kick the tires, so to speak. Did we mention that Awareness Month culminates in the awarding of new mobility vehicles to lucky winners as voted on by the public? See it all at mobilityawarenessmonth.com.