For the physically challenged, driving a car brings independence and self-esteem.Celia Burns, a paraplegic who is writing an autobiography called Where There’s a Wheel, says being able to drive again after her car crash gave her a new lease on life.
In 1984, Celia fell asleep at the wheel and was almost killed in an ensuing crash. Now 61, she has been driving cars modified with hand controls for 14 years and says it has become second nature.
“You feel extremely independent when you can drive yourself around,” says Celia. “I was seven years without a car for financial reasons and I felt dreadful having to depend on others all the time.”
Vehicle modifications can enable people who have difficulty driving, due to the loss of limb(s), pain, a neurological condition, spinal cord injury or a congenital condition such as cerebral palsy, to drive safely and competently.
However, learning how to drive a car in an entirely new way, choosing the right car, finding out which modifications to have made and how much they will cost, are all issues that people with disabilities, or other difficulties that hinder their driving ability, must face.
If you can afford it, there are many modifications that can be made to standard production vehicles that enable people with varying disabilities to drive. Automatic transmission is needed in most cases to reduce the number of driving tasks, and hand controls can only be fitted to automatic transmission.
Vehicle modifications range from simple additions like steering wheel spinner knobs that make it easier to turn the wheel to major modifications to the vehicle body structure. This can include altering the roof to fit a wheelchair inside.
The most common include:
Modifications must be certified by an RTA-approved Engineering Signatory or Restricted Signatory (engineers who specialise in modifications of vehicles for people with disabilities). A list of these signatories can be found on Vehicle Standards Information No. 2 (Restricted Signatories) and No. 15 (Engineering Signatories), available from the RTA. Visit www.rta.nsw.gov.au and type the title of the list into the ‘Search’ box, or call 13 22 13.
For companies in NSW that modify vehicles for drivers or passengers with disabilities, visit www.spinalcordinjuries.com.au and type ‘mynrma’ into the ‘Search’ box.
Before modifications are made to your vehicle, a driver-trained occupational therapist needs to access you. A driver-trained occupational therapist is someone who has completed specialised training and is authorised to make recommendations to the RTA Medical Unit regarding your fitness and ability to drive safely, required vehicle modifications and driving restrictions.
Driver Rehabilitation and Fleet Safety Services, a clinical unit within the University of Sydney, assesses around 150 clients per year, only 3% of whom are unable to return to driving.
Of these clients, 34% have sustained an orthopaedic injury (including arm and leg injuries); 21% have a neurological condition (eg. brain injury, stroke); 33.5% have a spinal injury; and 1% have a visual condition. The remainder include clients with no specific diagnosis (age-related changes, reduced driving confidence and learners unable to master driving), clients with multiple injuries or medical conditions, clients with congenital conditions, and clients with driving phobias/anxiety.
If you have a permanent or long-term injury or illness that may impair your ability to drive safely you must by law, as soon as practicable, notify the RTA. The RTA may then ask you to obtain a medical certificate and ask you to sit a disability driving test. You usually need to complete a series of driving lessons with a driver rehabilitation program before taking the test. During this time, you are downgraded to or issued with a learner licence and must complete 50 hours of supervised driving practice, as does any learner driver.
The test may be done on a vehicle fitted with special controls (eg. steering wheel aid), or special conditions (eg. “may only drive automatic vehicles”) may be added to the licence issued. Vehicle modifications or special conditions are added in consultation with you and takes into account any reports from doctors or rehabilitation specialists.
Trinity Glendenning, Manager of Driver Rehabilitation and Fleet Safety Services, says it’s important that people don’t have vehicle modifications made until after an initial assessment with an occupational therapist and, better still,
a few driving lessons. If you can afford to pay for lessons with an instructor in a modified vehicle, you might also
prefer to wait until you’ve passed the RTA test before having your own vehicle modified.
“We want to make sure they will actually be able to drive safely and to RTA standards before they pay for the modifications,” says Trinity. “Some clients, for a variety of reasons, can’t achieve safe, consistent driving and it would be terrible if they had their car modified and after the RTA test found they weren’t able to drive.
“The only exception is clients who are quadriplegic or clients with special needs, for example, a short stature or short limbs. In such cases where we can’t set our cars up [with the necessary modifications], these people might need to get their vehicle modified in order to be able to have lessons and do the test.”
According to Trinity, one of the more straightforward modifications to learn how to use is the spinner knob, which attaches to the steering wheel and allows a person to drive with one hand. An experienced driver who does not have any cognitive problems might require between five and seven one-hour lessons to become competent using a spinner knob. Learning how to use a left foot accelerator is more complicated, especially for those used to driving manual cars. “It’s easy to floor the accelerator when you mean to floor the brake,” says Trinity. “It takes a lot of thinking and usually takes between seven and 10 lessons to learn.”
You can choose to buy a new or second-hand car and have it modified to suit your specific needs; however, it is also possible to buy a second-hand car that has already been modified. ParaQuad, a not-for-profit, member-based organisation offers free classified advertising for modified cars on its website. Visit www.paraquad.org.au.
NRMA Special Vehicle Needs Consultant, Ross Pallone, investigates appropriate vehicle types and recommends modifications for use in legal cases, and says choosing the right car is as important as choosing the right modifications. Ross offers advice to Members who require assistance with choosing an appropriate vehicle depending on their needs and abilities. Call NRMA Special Vehicle Needs on 8741 6599.
“People with disabilities [who are] considering buying a car that will be modified should [think about] their build, height, what they can and can’t do, what they need it for, if they have a family, and what their budget is,” says Ross.
The Independent Living Centre of NSW has an excellent website with hints and tips on how to choose the right vehicle. Visit www.ngo.net.au/ilcnsw and click on ‘Product Search’.
If you need to travel to work but have disabilities that don’t enable you to catch public transport, you are eligible to buy a car and special parts GST-free. A full explanation of the eligibility criteria and application process is available from the Australian Tax Office. Visit www.ato.gov.au, then click on ‘Forms & services’, ‘Sort by topic’ and ‘Individuals’ under ‘Goods & services tax (GST)’, or call 13 28 66 (choose ‘GST’ option).
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia warns you to take all necessary documents with you before you buy the car, because after the purchase the dealer is not obliged to refund the GST.
Paul Versteege, Policy Coordinator at Spinal Cord Injuries Australia, says, “Spinal Cord Injuries Australia supports the current GST exemption on cars and vans for people with physical disabilities.” But he notes that only people using vehicles for work are eligible.
“Given that people with physical disabilities have few if any public transport options, especially in rural and regional areas, Spinal Cord Injuries Australia believes the GST exemption should be extended. In addition, currently only car parts attract a GST exemption but not the labour to fit these parts. Spinal Cord Injuries Australia believes that the labour should also be GST exempt.”
If you receive a disability pension and hold a concession card you may also be exempt from registration fees, motor vehicle tax, conditional registration fees, transfer fees and stamp duty.
For paralympian, David Hall, modifying his car, a 1966 Ford Mustang, was easy. To read about David’s story, see page 74.
Toll Exemptions
“Some drivers with disabilities are exempt from paying the toll on Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Harbour Tunnel,” says an RTA spokesperson.
“The exemption applies to drivers with a modified car. These drivers can apply for a tag that will exempt them from paying the toll. However, only RTA-issued tags are exempt [ie E-Toll].” For more details call 13 22 13.
Mobility Parking Scheme
The Mobility Parking Scheme (MPS) provides exclusive parking spaces to people with mobility disabilities. The spaces are larger than normal and close to the entrances of destinations such as shops and offices.
To legally park in these spaces you must hold a MPS authority and display the authority on the vehicle. Heavy fines can be imposed for illegally parking in these spaces.
“I can’t park in the normal spaces because there’s not enough space to get my wheelchair out,” says paraplegic, Celia Burns. “You get people who are very rude when you approach them, especially young people. You also get a lot of elderly people who decide it’s their right to park there because they’ve got a crook knee or a bad back. When I point out that at least they can get out of their car and walk ... they don’t seem to be sympathetic. When I found out I was a paraplegic I thought ‘at least I can park in the wheely spaces’ but as it turns out there’s a lot of times I can’t.”
MPS authority holders can park in time-limited spaces for longer than the time specified and can park in a metered space at no charge (doesn’t apply to private parking areas). For more information contact the RTA.
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