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By its very definition, disability requires a different way of living. However, that doesn’t mean the activities of living well go out the window. People with disabilities can still drive, they just need to make modifications and get key information along the way.
For example, car insurance for wheelchair-adapted vehicles is available, but you’ll still want to give specific information to the insurance company for a quote.
Explaining to the insurance company what modifications you’ve made to a vehicle is important. Indeed, the company can’t give you an accurate quote if they’re just expecting an unmodified stock vehicle. There are multiple modifications that can make driving a car while disabled a truly pleasant experience.
Drivers with disabilities still deserve to have the best road experience possible. After all, who doesn’t enjoy the exciting return of spring, or getting a chance to go visit family?
Control Acceleration With Hand Controls
Hand controls are one of the most common and widely known modifications to a vehicle for people with disabilities. Someone who is paralyzed from the waist down can’t use their feet to control the vehicle as usual. Hand controls give back the power by allowing classic control of the vehicle by hand and not by the feet.
Since this modification is so popular, it’s easy to find a shop that can add the hand controls necessary. While the upfront cost is steep, the reward of being able to hit the open road safely is too good to pass up.
Compensate for Shorter or Missing Limbs With Pedal Extensions
For people with shorter limbs or even people who are missing a limb, pedal extensions are a lifesaver.
They can attach to the brake and gas pedals, making it a lot easier to control the vehicle while driving. If you need these modifications, be sure to get a few estimates before continuing forward. It’s very easy to overpay when you’re in a hurry.
Increase Access and Awareness With Swivel Seats
Getting in and out of the vehicle safely can also be a problem. Swivel seats rotate cleanly and allow for people to get in and out of the driver’s seat with ease and back into a wheelchair much easier than with seats that don’t move.
Adding additional rails to go with the swivel seats is a great combination. This allows for better control when getting in and out of the vehicle. Ease of movement is important to everyone, but even more important to drivers with active disabilities.
The fancier swivel seats can not only rotate fully but also pull out of the vehicle and make it easier to get back into a wheelchair. The more complicated the setup, however, the more expensive it will be to install into your vehicle.
Retain Driving Efficiency With One-Handed Steering
While it’s true a vehicle with manual transmission requires the use of two hands, this isn’t the case for an automatic car. Indeed, you can modify the vehicle to accommodate one-handed steering.
Amputees looking to drive safely should consider adding a wheel spinner or extensions to help make it easier to turn the wheel as well as signal to other drivers.
Accommodate Vision Issues With Better Lighting
People with vision issues can change the lighting in the vehicle to accommodate themselves.
This can mean changing the contrast of the lights to make it easier to drive for longer periods of time, or even switching to high-intensity lighting inside the vehicle so everything is illuminated better in periods of low light.
Becoming a Low-Risk Driver
It’s important to note here that while disabled drivers do have a tougher hill to climb, it should not be assumed they will automatically have to pay more in insurance than their non-disabled counterparts. Someone with no accidents or claims history is still a low-risk driver.
Many of the online tools to get insurance quotes don’t address modifications within the tool, so you’ll most likely have to contact each company directly. Some representatives have never had to handle modifications, but most modern companies now have departments with trained reps to go over your options.
Don’t settle for any company that can’t take modifications into consideration. On average it can take $10,000 to modify a vehicle, so shouldn’t you also have the best coverage for your budget?
Getting the Right Coverage
The right coverage is a delicate issue: How much coverage do you really need? It’s a good idea to look at not just your driving habits, but what you want to protect. What would an accident cost you? People with disabilities may need additional medical care, so additional coverages beyond comprehensive and collision are extremely helpful.
Personal injury protection (PIP) isn’t available in all states, but it does add additional protections. One overlooked benefit of PIP is it can provide lost wage support after an accident.
Every penny helps, and even if you’re only working part-time, PIP coverage can replace the money you’ve missed after an accident.
Remember: Good coverage can’t replace required vehicle maintenance. Make sure you maintain the vehicle well. You can even get the kids involved.
Adapting to the Road Ahead
Getting the right blend of corsage as part of your auto insurance policy isn’t impossible, but it does take extra steps. Planning ahead is better than just assuming everything will fall into place. In a perfect world, the system would be set up better to accommodate disabled drivers.
However, the real world is far from perfect, which means people with disabilities have to take matters into their own hands.
If you feel a company has discriminated against you, be sure to document the interaction as much as possible. Putting in a regulatory complaint is a serious matter, but one that can make sure that companies are held accountable for not addressing your insurance needs.
Only your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles can decide whether or not you’re safe enough to be on the road. The insurance company cannot make that call. As long as your medical team does not feel that driving would cause harm to others on the road, feel free to modify your vehicle and drive on.
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Luke Williams writes and researches for the car insurance comparison site, CarInsuranceComparison.com. His passions include best practices for insurance and helping others accommodate disabilities on the road.