How to prepare a car for a disabled driver

Having ones own car is a significant advantage for every disabled person, and is due to a number of reasons. Firstly, a car makes it possible to move freely around the city and visit socially significant sites. Secondly, it increases safety during travel, since moving in a wheelchair over significant distances often involves certain risks. And finally, thirdly, the car allows people with limited mobility to travel just as freely as people without disabilities.

At the same time, a number of requirements are imposed on the equipment of such a vehicle. They are conditioned, first of all, by the comfort and safety of both the disabled driver and other traffic participants. Many controls are duplicated for this purpose (for example, levers or joysticks are used instead of pedals), and changes are made in the interior design (so that it is convenient for the owner to get in and out of it). In addition, the modernized car must be approved by the bodies of the traffic police as suitable for driving by citizens with disabilities.

What needs to be done to convert the vehicle

The best option to prepare the car for a disabled driver is to apply to a specialized workshop. It will carry out modernization of the interior, remake the control system and install additional equipment (including electronic, for example - parktronic sensors for easy parking in tight spaces). After that, it is obligatory to put a sticker "Disabled" on the car. It will not only communicate the need for increased attention to other drivers, but also give a number of benefits, for example:

• A special sticker allows you to stop in almost any place (including in the zones of the signs prohibiting it), as well as to pass under the sign "Traffic is prohibited";
• Many social institutions and private companies provide a separate parking space for cars driven by disabled people. It is forbidden for others to stop in it, and a violation of this rule is punishable by a fine.

However, it is worth remembering that there are also certain requirements for the car itself that is being converted. Firstly, its interior must be roomy and the doors must open wide. Secondly, it should have low or moderate fuel consumption (in order to use gas stations less often). Thirdly, the power of its power unit must not exceed 100 hp. The latter applies only to cars purchased through social security agencies and not subject to transport tax.