Bringing your mobility device in the car

Man retreating his wheelchair from the top of a car with a chair topper

If you use any kind of mobility aid, there's the issue of getting it into the car. Manual wheelchair, powered wheelchair, walker or mobility scooter, regardless of its size and model, there are solutions to load and transport your assistive device.

Hoists

Using a hoist is a safe and convenient way to load your mobility device into the car's boot i.e. the luggage compartment. Designed for the job these hoists keep the load in balance and makes guiding your mobility device into the boot effortless. Hoists usually come with powered lift, but rotation can be either manual or powered.

Woman retrieving a wheelchair from a car with a hoist

Roof top box

Another type of hoist is the roof top box. This one picks up or drops off a folding-frame wheelchair next to the driver's door. When driving the car, the wheelchair is stored inside the roof top box. The benefit of this hoist is that the wheelchair doesn't take up any space in the car. You also don't risk ruining the car's interior with dirty tires.

Wheelchair loaders

This category covers a variety of stowing solutions. Their common denominator is picking up the wheelchair outside. Loading and securing is completely automatic. The downside of these fully automatic solutions is space requirements. Usually, a second-row seat including the side door or much of the car's boot has to be sacrificed to fit a wheelchair loader.

Close up of a wheelchair secured with a tie-downs

Wheelchair Tie-downs

A secured load is as important as a seat belt. The wheelchair and other aids are no exception. Tie-downs come in a wide variety, choose ones that suit your needs and car. The standard ISO 10542 ensures that they adequate for the job.

Boot door opener

This adaptation converts a manual luggage compartment door to automatic. A simple push of a button is all it takes to open and close the boot lid.

Wheelchair and scooter lock

One way to secure your powered wheelchair is a so-called wheelchair lock. One part installs on your wheelchair and the other in the vehicle's floor. Steer the wheelchair into the lock and secure with the push of a button. This type of adaptation is common for those who want to drive the car from the wheelchair.

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Getting seated in the car

There are of course a number of useful aids that will enable you, both as driver and passenger, to enjoy the ride in the comfort of a car seat.

Acceleration and brake

Foot pedals became the standard way of driving over a century ago. Fortunately, you can change this.

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