Moto ring with multiple sclerosis 2016 Motoring with

multiple s c   lerosis

ricability

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Choosing a Choosing a car

Contents Details of features that

Driving with MS 3 may help you and ways of Choosing a car 4 adapting a car

Plan of action 5 Products and techniques 6 A guide for older and disabled people 2011 Finance 9 Car controls Further information 10 Information on adapted controls for , the This Rica booklet outlines some of the different types and key things to think about when choosing how to get them or adapting a for someone who

 

has multiple sclerosis (MS) . Getting a Getting awheelchair into acar This information comes from wheelchair into a car consultation with people with multiple Information on equipment sclerosis and other experts. Product and to help you stow or carry a price information comes from Rica’s wheelchair market research – use it as a guide only A guide for older and disabled people 2013 and shop around for the best price. Getting in More detailed guidance on choosing and out of a car and using a car can be found in the Rica Techniques that may help guides shown here. Call us to request and details of equipment free copies or read them on our website: that is available 020 7427 2460 

ricability

www.rica.org.uk Wheelchair Wheelchair

accessible

Car sear c h The website also has the accessible vehicles

page that lets you search for by t h eir Information on converted

I measurements and will help you find a vehicles to carry you in car to suit you. your wheelchair

A guide for older and disabled people 2011

Mobility address list Family cars Addresses of all adaptation Issues affecting families of suppliers and car converters disabled children and in the UK and details of the information about cars and services they offer Mobility standard and specialist address list 2013 equipment

2 MOTORING WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Driving with MS A small loss of muscle control will not necessarily affect your ability to drive a Multiple sclerosis is unpredictable and car but people are required to show can affect people in many ways. Some sufficient dexterity to operate the car symptoms are common but people will controls safely. See page 6 for the wide experience different symptoms. In range of adaptations available that can addition, MS symptoms themselves can help with some of these. If you need vary from being mild to severe, and they adaptations to drive, then these will be may be temporary or permanent. specified on your licence. You are not Some common MS symptoms that allowed to drive a car without them. may affect driving include the following: Memory and concentration, spatial l sensory (touch) problems such as awareness of the position of things and numbness or tingling hands and feet clear mental processing of information l visual problems such as blurred or are also important to drivers. An double vision, or a temporary loss of assessment at a Mobility Centre (see sight caused by optic neuritis Forum of Mobility Centres page 11) can (inflammation of the optic nerve) help identify and address any problems. l fatigue – an overwhelming sense of You also need to tell your insurance tiredness making physical or mental company about your condition and activity difficult about any adaptations you have. l loss of muscle strength and dexterity For further information, go to l problems with walking, balance and www.gov.uk/dvla or get the leaflet What co-ordination you need to know about driving licences l muscle stiffness and spasms – (D100) from a post office. For more tightening or rigidity in particular information on MS, contact the MS muscle groups (known as spasticity) Society (see page 11). l difficulty with memory and thinking. Remember that many people with MS carry on driving confidently and safely You have to tell the Driver and Vehicle for many years. Licensing Agency (DVLA) that you have been diagnosed with MS. They will assess your fitness to drive using the Advice from drivers with MS information you provide and may ask you to have a medical examination or a n Try out a car and any driving assessment. adaptations on one of your You may be: worst days, not when you’re l given a full licence feeling well. l given a medical review licence, valid n Be prepared to compromise for one, two or three years but don’t omit your ‘must l given a licence that specifies which have’ features. adaptations you need to use n Get advice from an l in extreme cases, told to stop driving. independent Mobility Centre.

3 Choosing a car PRIMARY CONTROLS For steering, braking and accelerating. You may well be able to continue driving Look for: an unadapted car for some time, l automatic – this can particularly if it has automatic make driving less stressful and make transmission and . If your the controls easier to adapt condition is progressive, think ahead to l power assisted steering – on some what you may need in the future. cars the effort needed can be Other helpful features such as height- lightened by the dealership or by adjustable seats and steering are found on specialist converters a wide range of cars too. The less a car l to maintain a has to be modified, the higher its constant speed resale value. l handbrakes can be stiff if you have a If you are going to get a standard car, weak hand and wrist – check that use the list below to tick the features you you can put it on and off might find useful. l some cars have electronic, push button handbrakes and you can GETTING IN AND OUT have one fitted to many others. If your legs are weak or painful, you may need a large door opening so you can get SECONDARY CONTROLS in and out without having to bend them For things like the horn, lights and too much. indicators. Try to find a model where If you have weakness in your arms and these are in the best position for you. find reaching difficult, smaller doors are Also look for: easier. Two and three door cars generally l electric windows have wider doorways than four and five l electric and heated door mirrors door ones. l heated windscreen Also look for: l automatic wipers and lights l no sills or low, narrow sills l easy controls for audio equipment, l conveniently placed handholds air conditioning etc – some cars l seat height that best suits you have voice activated controls l seats which go up and down, l parking sensor – sounds if you are forwards and back – useful if you near an obstacle need space to get your legs in but l reversing camera. sit closer to the wheel for driving. BOOT LOCKING AND IGNITION Look for: l remote and central locking l no sill or low sill l keyless entry system l powered boot opening/closing l push button start l internal boot release l windows that close automatically l space for your wheelchair if you when the car is locked. have one.

4 MOTORING WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Plan of action including benefits and motoring.

1 Ask some basic questions 3 Try out before buying Think about what you may need in the Try any car you are considering. Try future as well as about what suits you getting in and out several times. If you now. Prepare to compromise as you may already use any adaptations, ask if you not find everything in one car. can try the car with them fitted. How will you get in and out? Do you need wide or high doors, or specialist Tip equipment to help? See Products and techniques (page 6). n To try out a range of different Will you be comfortable in the seat? cars all in the same place, visit And will you be able to reach the a secondhand car supermarket. controls? Will you need specialist controls? There If you need more specialist help, you is a big range – from simple gadgets to can try out adapted cars at adaptation more complex controls (see pages 6-8). companies. They will also tell you if the What equipment will you carry? Think adaptations can be fitted to your chosen about everyday and occasional use. car. You could also visit one of these: Do you use a wheelchair? Will you load it into the boot or travel sitting in it? Mobility Centres (see page 11) for a Will you need extra space for driving assessment and to find out what specialist equipment? equipment may suit you.

Find a car Mobility Roadshow and Motability One Big Day (see page 11) to see and try n use Rica’s online search tool out vehicles and adaptations. of car measurements at www.rica.org.uk/car-search 4 Get plenty of practice n search for cars with eg wide If you are getting adapted driving doors, low sills or lots of controls, it is advisable to have lessons headroom or look for a boot with a specialist instructor. This is to fit your wheelchair essential if you are getting a left foot accelerator (see page 7). Mobility Centres (see page 11) can 2 Collect information help you find an instructor locally. They Start with motoring magazines, the will give you lessons in their own internet and manufacturers’ brochures adapted car, or in some cases in your as well as the monthly magazine own car. published by Disabled Motoring UK (see Make sure that you are not driving page 10). www.youreable.com has an with adaptations for the first time when online discussion forum covering topics you collect the car.

5 Products and specialist replacement seat fitted. Costs techniques start at about £1,250 from adaptation firms. See our guide Getting in and out of If you lose sensation, strength or control a car for more information. in your arms or legs, consider the adaptations available. The earlier you Wheelchair users convert to new controls, the more If you have a manual wheelchair, you confidently you are likely to drive. See may be able to lift it into the back of the the following pages and our other car and walk the few steps to the seat. guides. You can also get individual advice However, if you can’t, there is a range of from a Mobility Centre (see page 11). devices and techniques for getting you and the wheelchair into your car. See our Gadgets guides Getting in and out of a car and Getting a wheelchair into a car for more n Pump Pa l holds petrol pumps information. open – useful if you have weak grip or can only use one hand PRIMARY CONTROLS (£9.99 from Steering www.pumppal.co.uk). If you steer one handed, you will need a n Handybar fits quickly into the grip fitted to the – a door catch to give you a firm steering ball or spinner – and power handhold for getting in and out assisted steering. (£30 from adaptation firms, Spinners come in several shapes to motoring suppliers and general suit different types of grip and most cost aids suppliers). between £15 and £110. n Car Caddie is a strap that attaches to the top of the door to give you a firm handle as you stand up or sit down (around £20 from motoring suppliers and general aids suppliers).

GETTING IN AND OUT Steering wheel grips from Alfred Bekker The best way to get in is to sit first then turn and bring your legs in, doing the Changing gears reverse to get out. means fewer You can have the door hinges gear changes and also helps with pulling modified or the seat runners extended to away, if you have hill start assist. give you more space to get in and out. Usually automatics have a You can convert your existing seat – mechanical gear selector, which you make it higher or height adjustable, or operate with your left hand. If you add a swivelling mechanism – or have a cannot do this, you can have an

6 MOTORING WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS electronic system fitted, but these are If you drive an adapted manual car but expensive and may not be appropriate. your driving licence is for automatic Take advice from a Mobility Centre vehicles only, you must make sure the before investing in these systems. pedal is removed.

Accelerating and braking If the strength or control of your legs is poor, you can have more assistance added to reduce the effort required. If one of your legs is affected, you may Electronic gear selector, from Adaptacar be able to drive an unmodified automatic car. If it is your right leg, one Some manual cars have automated option is to have a flip up left foot gear systems which work without using a accelerator fitted on the left side of the clutch pedal. You move a lever or use brake pedal, for around £400-500. push buttons or paddles on the steering wheel to select a gear. Warning

n Left foot accelerators take a lot of getting used to, especially if you are used to driving an unadapted manual car. There have been a number of accidents involving drivers Controls on steering wheel who aren’t used to them. n You must have a professional If you can operate the , but driving assessment before not the clutch pedal, you can get an ordering a left foot accelerator adapted clutch that you operate with the and lessons with a qualified same hand you use to change gear (from instructor before you start to £2,145). See our Car controls guide. use one on the road.

Hand controls If you cannot use foot pedals at all or don’t want to get a left foot accelerator, different types of hand control system can be fitted on an automatic car. These are described on the following pages. The pedals cannot be removed but you can fit a guard to stop your feet from Gear stick mounted Duck clutch, from ELAP getting caught in them (from £100).

7 Single lever accelerator and brake – here fitted with optional indicator switch – Jeff Gosling K5 under ring – Autoadapt

Combined controls l steering column mounted – push the Mechanical attachments are simple to fit lever to brake and pull it towards you and can make it easier to use the to accelerate (from £400) handbrake (from £70). Electronic parking l a radial lever that you use clockwise cost from around £700. to accelerate and push away to brake (from £700) SECONDARY CONTROLS l floor mounted push-pull levers – If you have difficulty using controls for position and strength needed can be the lights and indicators, there are adjusted to suit you (from £900) simple and complex solutions. If you need to work the indicator with your right hand, you can have an extension fitted to the indicator stalk that takes it over the steering column.

Floor-mounted Menox Carospeed – Autoadapt

l clamp-on controls simply bolt on to the pedals (£350) – best as a short term option.

Separate accelerators and brakes l there is a wide range of separate hand Indicators extension – Alfred Bekker controls for accelerating; use with floor mounted brakes (from £550) If you have more complex needs, l accelerator rings (from £1,800) need electronic systems can be fitted that less effort and let you steer with both bring all the secondary controls together hands on the wheel; they in one unit .They are operated by hand or don’t interfere with the steering by nudging with your head, arm or leg. wheel adjustment. Some work with just one button.

8 MOTORING WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Grants – Contact the MS Society Grants Team (see page 11) for information about grants for vehicle adaptations. Alternatively, try: l Charity Search – provide a free service for people over 50, to help find a grant-giving charity Tel: 0117 982 4060 (9a m-2.30pm) Steering knob combined with wireless www.charitysearch.org.uk secondary controls – Lodgesons l Turn2Us – a website for people in financial need: www.turn2us.org.uk Prices vary widely depending on how l contacting local support groups (see complex the controls are and on the pages 10-11) wiring system of the car (from £700). l your library for local charities such Check the cost of any adaptation as the Round Table or the Rotary or before ordering it. Also check that Lions Clubs. it is compatible with your car. Your adaptation company will advise on this. VAT exemption on adaptations – You do not have to pay VAT on adaptations, or in OTHER WAYS OF DRIVING some cases on the purchase and Nearly all controls can be altered or maintenance of an adapted car. adapted to suit you and complete Information from HM Revenue and systems built around you if necessary. Customs (see page 11). You will need a thorough assessment at a Mobility Centre and specialist Vehicle Excise Duty (Road Tax) – You instruction for systems that involve don’t have to pay this if you get the driving in a very different way. Higher Rate Mobility Component of DLA or PIP, War Pensioner’s Mobility Supplement or AFIP. You can claim Finance disability exemption when you apply for vehicle tax Motability – Scheme for people www.gov.uk/vehicle-exempt-from- receiving the Higher/Enhanced Rate vehicle-tax. Mobility Component of DLA, PIP or Armed Forces Independence Payment Car insurance – Under the Equality Act (AFIP) or the War Pensioner’s Mobility 2010, insurance companies are not Supplement (see page 11 for more allowed to refuse disabled drivers information). insurance or charge extra without justifying evidence. Shop around for the Access to Work – May help if you are best deal. If you have a heavily adapted working or about to start work. Phone car, Mobility Centres and DMUK (see 0345 268 8499, ask at your Jobcentre or pages 10-11) have lists of companies that go to www.direct.gov.uk/disabledpeople. specialise in insuring disabled drivers.

9 Further Disability Benefits Helplines information For information and advice about an existing claim. l Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Blue Badge Scheme Tel 08457 123456 l Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Allows disabled people to park Tel 0845 850 3322 in restricted areas. The rules www.gov.uk/disability-benefits-helpline are different in different places so do read and follow the Disabled Living Foundation (DLF) conditions of use carefully. The l advice and information on disability scheme is administered by local equipment authorities who deal with l training for professionals. applications and issue badges. Tel 0300 999 0004 (10am-4pm) Contact your local authority www.dlf.org.uk for more information or phone: www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk

0844 463 0213 (England) Disabled Motoring UK (DMUK) 0844 463 0214 (Scotland) l the campaigning charity for disabled 0844 463 0215 (Wales) motorists. They run the Baywatch campaign against parking abuse and [email protected] represent disabled people’s needs at a www.gov.uk/apply-blue-badge national level. Membership £24 per year – includes monthly magazine. Brain and Spine Foundation Tel 01508 489449 l research, education and information Fax 01508 488173 l help and advice to people affected by Email [email protected] brain and spine disorders. www.disabledmotoring.org Freephone 0808 808 1000 Email [email protected] DVLA (Driver and Vehicle www.brainandspine.org.uk Licensing Agency) Drivers Medical Group Demand Tel 0300 790 6806 l national charity that designs, makes Fax 0845 850 0095 and repairs specialist equipment for Email [email protected] disabled people www.gov.uk/driving-medical-conditions l online shop selling new and second hand specialist sporting and mobility Driver & Vehicle Agency equipment. (Northern Ireland) Tel 01923 681 800 Driver Licensing Medical Section Email: [email protected] Tel 0845 402 4000 demandequipment.com Email [email protected] www.dvani.gov.uk

10 MOTORING WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Forum of Mobility Centres Multiple Sclerosis Trust l network of independent, accredited l UK charity providing information for Mobility Centres which will carry out anyone affected by multiple sclerosis. driving assessments, advise drivers, Tel 0800 032 3839 passengers and carers and in some Email [email protected] cases help you find a specialist www.mstrust.org.uk driving instructor l national information service on One Big Day/Big Event driving, equipment and adaptations. l Motability run these regional events Freephone 0800 559 3636 for customers and people interested Email [email protected] in the scheme – you can see and test www.mobility-centres.org.uk drive cars and adaptations. Tel 0300 456 4566 HM Revenue and Customs www.motabilityevents.co.uk l VAT relief on adaptations (VAT Notice 701/7) and motor vehicles (VAT Positive about MS Notice 701/59) for disabled people. l website dedicated to give information Tel 0300 123 1073 and support to people who have www.gov.uk/hmrc Multiple Sclerosis, or who are affected by the condition. Motability Email [email protected] l Use Higher/Enhanced Rate Mobility www.positiveaboutms.com Component of DLA, PIP or AFIP or your War Pensioner’s Mobility Multiple Sclerosis Society Supplement to lease a car. l Maintenance and servicing, insurance n UK’s largest charity dedicated to and breakdown assistance are supporting everyone whose life is included. Motability contribute touched by MS. towards the cost of adaptations. n Funds research into MS and l You may have to make an advance campaigns to improve payment to cover the cost of the car. treatment and care. l Motability have useful information, n Provides emotional, practical including videos on choosing a car and and financial support to people driving adaptations on their website. with MS and their carers and Tel 0300 456 4566 families. Textphone 0300 037 0100 Tel 0808 800 8000 www.motability.co.uk Email [email protected] www.mssociety.org.uk

Grants Tel 020 8438 0700 (ask for grants team) Email [email protected]

11

Consumer research for older and disabled people.

Rica is an independent charity that publishes information on products and services for older and disabled people.

Tel: 020 7427 2460 Email: [email protected] www.rica.org.uk

@RicaUK

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The information in this guide is correct at the time of going to print (April 2016). It is reviewed every two years. See our website for any changes since printing.

ISBN: 978-1-907408-36-6 © Rica 2016

In pa rtnership with:

forum of mobility centres NMS03/0416