Driving for handicapped people

Physical handicaps often make it difficult to use an ordinary production car. Access can be a major problem for both driver and passenger, while the design of controls has to be matched to the functional capabilities of the individual driver. Provision of an adequate driving posture and storage for a wheelchair also have to be considered. Many of these problems can be overcome by suitable adaptations to the vehicle. Recent work in this field is reviewed to summarize the ergonomic guidelines that are available. The driving task also requires cognitive skills and adequate speeds of reaction as well as physical skills and capabilities. Better methods of assessing these are gradually being developed, but much further work is necessary in this area. Disabled drivers need instructors who are skilled in training for their special needs. New developments have occurred in powered controls and in their mode of operation, allowing greater numbers of severely disabled people to drive. Steering controls can now be produced which require virtually zero force or very little movement to operate, and driving with a single multi-function control can be expected in the very near future.