Cost-Effective and Reliable Driving Aids for Amputees: Our Recommendations

Life after limb loss and amputation doesn’t have to mean the end of driving. Although it can affect your mobility and driving ability, there are a range of clever adaptations and driving aids for amputees that enable you to steer and control the vehicle safely and independently. Here are our top recommendations to reclaim your driving independence:

Hand Controls for Amputees

Hand controls are a game-changing solution for those with lower limb amputations who are unable to operate the standard foot pedals in a car. These adaptations transfer the function of acceleration and brake from foot to hand, enabling you to control the vehicle without the need for foot movement. 

There are various hand controls to suit different levels of mobility and dexterity, but the most popular and affordable type is the Mechanical Push/Pull Hand Control. Easy to operate, and as the name would suggest, you simply push down to control the brake and pull towards to accelerate. Ours retail from £695 (including fitting and a 3 year warranty). We’ve highlighted the costs of our hand control range within a recent guide, but of course our mobility experts are available to advise you based on initial discussions and assessment. 

Mechanical hand controls are a popular solution for a reason as they fit into most automatic vehicles, ensuring your choice of vehicle is not limited. They are also recommended if you haven’t driven with hand controls before as they are simple to operate and provide a great controlled solution for beginners. Further to this, we also have electronic hand controls and electronic ring accelerators that offer a fatigue-free improvement. 

Foot Controls for Right Leg Amputees

In the case of a right leg amputation, a left foot accelerator can be installed. This adaptation allows the left foot to control the car’s acceleration by fitting a pedal to the left of the brake pedal. 

The twin flip design of a left foot accelerator allows the driver to easily select the preferred pedal as it can be folded up out of the way. So you can safely flip up the right accelerator if you’re driving with your left foot to ensure no accidental operation of the other, but then it can be easily folded down to retain the use of the right pedal for right-foot drivers. Perfect for if you share your car.

Steering Aids for Amputees

Steering aids essentially enable the safe one-handed operation of a vehicle’s steering wheel by enabling you to continuously turn the wheel without removing your hand. These can be used independently as a solution for driving with one arm, providing you are able to safely use the foot pedals to control the acceleration and brake. We recommend taking a look at our Driving With One Arm guide for further details and guidance.  

As well as this, steering aids are often essential when hand controls are fitted to a car to enable the driver to steer with one hand while operating the acceleration and brake with the other. 

There are various grip styles available to suit individual preferences, including the most popular and most affordable, which is a steering ball, available from us at £65 delivered. Additional secondary functions can also be attached or alternatively you can opt for a secondary control device which enables you to operate a range of secondary functions, such as the indicators, horn, headlights and wipers – all from the same device. So you can safely and comfortably steer the wheel without having to take your hand off to operate said functions.

Assistance Straps for Easier Vehicle Entry

Assistance straps and handle bars offer a budget-friendly aid for getting in and out of the car depending on your specific mobility requirements. Typically fitted to either the driver or passenger door frame, the strap allows you to pull yourself into the vehicle. While they are a widely affordable option and can be handy in certain situations, they do require a level of upper body mobility and strength to use, which is not ideal for everyone. Not only this, but these solutions are usually manufactured with cheap and flimsy materials that are unstable, which is why we do not supply these and would not recommend these as a permanent solution.

Transfer Boards for Wheelchair Users

Transfer boards offer a solution to aid with transfers from a wheelchair into a car seat, by bridging the distance. Portable boards such as the Banana Board are typically used for transfers between the wheelchair and a bed or toilet, but have often been used out of necessity to get seated within a standard car. Although it is an affordable option, it does not offer a sturdy or stable solution like a purpose-built transfer plate does. Further increasing the risk to injury when trying to get seated into a car. 

A permanent transfer plate provides a secure platform to transfer into a vehicle with confidence. As the attachment post is fitted permanently into the car, either by the driver seat or passenger seat, the plate which is easily slotted onto it can safely hold up to 120 kgs. A manual transfer plate is static and the most affordable within our range, retailing from £595 and available on the Motability Scheme at £9, but we also offer electronic transfer plates which move up and down to the user’s desired height.

Considerations for Choosing Driving Aids

Of course, when choosing driving aids for amputees, every person’s journey with amputation is unique and requires a tailored approach. Which is why it’s essential to explore the right driving aids for your specific needs and find the right combination of adaptations that best suits your situation. 

If you’ve never driven with driving aids before, we would always recommend a driving assessment with your local driving assessment centre. This will involve an assessment consultation, physical evaluation and driving evaluation with an experienced occupational therapist and approved driving instructor who will provide a report with recommendations on the appropriate driving aids to suit your needs.

Following this, as a specialist vehicle adaptations company, we will determine the exact style of driving aid based on usability and vehicle compatibility. For example, if you have been advised that you require hand controls to drive, our assessor will explain the different hand controls in our range, which have different grip shapes, range of acceleration and secondary function switches to suit varying levels of dexterity and strength. We will also determine if and what other adaptations would be right for you to aid with getting in and out of your car and storing a mobility device. 

Further to this, if you require additional driving lessons for some extra support getting back behind the wheel, there are specialist Disability Driving Instructors throughout the UK to assist you. They are specially trained to give lessons in your own adapted car to ensure the transition to driving independently is as smooth as possible!

At Mobility in Motion we offer a needs-based assessment, select the right adaptations tailored to your individual needs and provide fuss-free installation and aftercare support. If you’d like to know more about our range of driving aids for amputees and how they can help you, contact our team online or call us on 0800 288 4422.