Getting back to driving after spinal cord injury as a powered wheelchair user
Driving Assessments
> You should have a driving assessment before returning to driving. A driving assessment is not a driving test. It will look at your needs and see how you can drive safely and what adaptations may be necessary to help you do this.
> Adaptations mean things like different controls for steering, braking and controlling the different parts of a car.
During the assessment you will be able to see and try out adaptations and talk about different equipment that might help. Here are some links to help you find a driving assessment near you:
You can be referred by a healthcare professional for a driving assessment or self refer. You may need to pay for this assessment.
After the driving assessment you will be given a detailed report which will have some recommendations for the support and adaptations you need to drive. At the assessment you can also think about how you will get your wheelchair into and out of your car. With practice, most people can transfer into and out of a standard car on their own.
For people using a powered wheelchair, returning to driving is possible. There is likely to be a detailed assessment process. You may need to decide between driving a standard car or a WAV which allows you to drive from a power wheelchair. The assessment process can help you choose from the many vehicle adaptations that will help you to drive. If you do not want to or cannot return to driving then a passenger assessment is similar to a driving assessment but looks at the best ways for you to sit in a vehicle and be secure.
Learning to Drive
If you did not drive before you had your injury then you can still learn to drive after it. Find a suitable driving instructor who has the car adaptations you need.
FIND A DISABILITY DRIVING INSTRUCTOR
If you already have a car/wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) through the Motability scheme then you can learn to drive in this car with certain conditions. You might be able to get help to pay for up to 40 hours of driving lessons through the Motability Foundation.
Learn to drive and financial support (motability)
If you had a spinal cord injury (SCI) or cauda equina syndrome (CES) as a child you may be able to learn to drive from the age of 16 rather than 17.
LEARN TO DRIVE A CAR: STEP BY STEP
You can apply for your provisional licence three months before you’re allowed to drive (16 or 17).
Getting into and out of your vehicle and transferring
You can learn to transfer into and out of your vehicle on both the driver and passenger side. To make the transfer as easy as possible it is a good idea to make sure the car seat you are transferring to is lower or at the same level as your wheelchair. Being able to change the position of your car seat automatically can help with this (some cars have ‘seat position’ settings so you could set one as your best driving position and one as your best transferring position. Below are two videos demonstrating ways of transferring into a car.
Below are two videos demonstrating ways of transferring into a car:
There is equipment to make it easier to get into and out of your vehicle such as transfer plates, swivel seats and hoists. For more information see:
ADAPTIONS TO HELP YOU GET IN AND OUT (MOTABILITY)
If you are considering a WAV (wheelchair adapted vehicle) then think about how you may get into the vehicle (side entrance, back tail lift or ramp) and whether you plan to remain in your wheelchair when travelling or would like to transfer out onto a seat. A 6-way driving seat is an option for transferring between a wheelchair and the passenger or driver’s seat inside a WAV. It is a car seat that can move in six directions – up, down, backwards, forwards, rotating left and rotating right.
