My Adapted Chevrolet Equinox
My #StefsDrive journey began five years ago when the North Country Chevy Dealers came up with an idea. An idea to give me a gift. And that was the gift of freedom, found in a Chevrolet Equinox with adaptive hand controls for driving.
At the time, I knew nothing about adaptive driving access or hand controls in a vehicle. I didn’t know what they would look like or how they would work. So today, after years of driving all over the North Country and beyond, I want to finally explain these hand controls to all of you.
There are many different types of hand controls available. They can differ in setup, pricing, permanent or portable capability, and more. But the point of all variations is to be tailored to the needs of the individual behind the wheel.
My Modifications – Breaking Down The Pieces
My hand controls are called the “Push/Rock” system. With this system, a lever is placed next to my steering wheel that I push and rock. I push the lever forward to use the brake and rock the lever toward me to accelerate.
This Push/Rock system is meant to be less fatiguing on my hands, which was important to me when selecting this setup. At the time I was learning to drive again, I was recovering from injuries to my hands, wrists, and arms.
Another component of my hand controls is the steering knob attached to my steering wheel. Steering wheel knobs like mine allow you to make turns while only using one hand. My left hand is always on the lever I mentioned, either accelerating or braking, so I cannot do the hand-over-hand motion for tighter turns. This is where the knob comes in, allowing me to move the steering wheel in a full rotation with ease.
One more essential piece of my adaptive driving equipment is my footplate cover, which can easily be screwed on or off to cover the brake and gas pedals.
This cover ensures that my prosthetic feet don’t hit the pedal and either slow me down or speed me up by accident. This is more important for those whose spinal cord injuries cause severe leg spasms, as this can cause their feet to hit the pedals. But it is still a key part of my adaptive driving.
The Process
When I get into my car, the first thing I do is break down my wheelchair. I stand up, I sit down in the driver’s seat, and then I begin to take my wheelchair apart.
If I am using a walker, I simply put this into the back seat.
Learning to break down my wheelchair was honestly the most challenging task I have had to learn so far. It took a lot of practice, tips and suggestions from others, and just enough repetition to really get it down. Now, I can do this in about one minute.
First, I remove my cushion and put it on the passenger side floor. Then, I spin my chair, unlock one brake, and remove one wheel. I put this on the floor of the passenger side back seat. Then I spin the chair and repeat with the other wheel. Once both wheels are off, I lift the frame of my wheelchair up and into the back seat of my car.
Once the mobility aid (my wheelchair or walker) is safely stored, I turn my car on.
It may seem as though it should be a habit to immediately turn the car on when getting into it rather than waiting until my chair is taken apart. This would definitely be preferred in the cold Vermont winter months, but I leave the car off for a reason.
My car is left off while I move the pieces of my wheelchair or other mobility aid into my Equinox because sometimes a piece of this equipment hits the lever next to the steering wheel. As mentioned, the lever accelerates the vehicle, and if hit while parked, my car will start revving, which can be a bit embarrassing.
Taking Control
Once the car is on, I turn on my hand controls. I press a small button on the left side of my steering wheel, and when it lights up blue, I know my hand controls are ready to be used.
If I don’t press this button, the car is ready to be driven by anyone who doesn’t use hand controls.
With my hand controls off, I am free to explore the road from the passenger side seat while someone else takes over. But, with my hand controls on, I am free to set off finding new roads on my own or with those riding with me!