subject: Owning a Wheelchair Vehicle [print this page] Owning a Wheelchair Vehicle Owning a Wheelchair Vehicle
What can you expect as the owner of a wheelchair vehicle? Well, the first thing that you should expect is that you will now have a much more mobile lifestyle. The second thing to know is that you won't be the owner of a bulky or difficult to maneuver machine. This is because the modern wheelchair vehicle is one that has been designed with "everyday" driving in mind. This is the reason that the most common style that you will find is the minivan style.
Though you may not believe that a wheelchair vehicle could be one as small as today's popular minivan style vehicles, you should know that you can easily obtain a range of styles that would accommodate even a larger or bulkier wheelchair or bed chair. This is because the technologies incorporated into the construction of the vans allows them to have the oversized doors, ramps or lifts, and expanded passenger compartments so necessary to functionality.
A wheelchair vehicle is designed first to accommodate the passenger with the special needs, and is then designed to work with their needs to ensure that they are both safe and totally comfortable. This is done by the use of the cargo-style doors that can be installed at one side of the van or at the rear of it. These doors are also usually equipped with an easy to use ramp system that provides a low pitched ramp for the passenger to use to ascend or descend from the van. These are designed to be wide enough and sturdy enough to meet any need, but are also easy to handle and are light in weight.
There are still plenty of options for automated lifts, but most cost-conscious buyers rely on the ramps to keep the price of their vehicle as low as possible. It is also relevant to note that the floors of the vehicles tend to be substantially lower than one might find in the average consumer vehicle. This has two purposes the first is to allow the angle of the ramps to remain very low, and the second is to ensure that there is plenty of space for movement inside the passenger compartment. Often a wheelchair passenger needs some assistance, and the lowered floors allow ample amounts of "head room" for anyone who is standing up and assisting the wheelchair passenger.
Clearly, the wheelchair vehicles are cleverly designed and ideally suited to meet the widest range of needs imaginable.
