Helpful Tips When Looking for a WAV
My WAV Journey
I have been a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) user for many years. I hope to share my tips with you when looking for a WAV.
I have just recently been through the process for looking for a new Wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV). My current WAV, a Brotherwood Kia Sedona (red label), I have had for many years through the Motability scheme. We love it.
Unfortunately, the Kia Sedona is no longer being made and adapted in the UK due to a new UK legislation. Otherwise, a new Kia Sedona would be the obvious choice!
My Brotherwood Kia Sedona alongside my powerchair, have been my passport to life.
Prior to having a WAV I could only travel by blue-light ambulance. Slowly, over many years I have built up from managing 1 mile at 20 miles per hour to travelling regularly and much further afield. Don’t get me wrong it is still hard, (and we still may appear like a drunk driver as we try and avoid pot-holes and bumps) but I am so much better than I was.
Once a year I embark on the mammoth challenge of visiting Naidex, (a disability exhibition) in Birmingham, which is just under 100 miles from my home. It takes me a while to recover, but it is worth it and it is amazing I can get there.
My WAV has enabled me to live. To get to hospital appointments, White Lodge for physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, swimming, go to my friends Weddings’, be a bridesmaid, go on holiday and out for the day. To see and visit further afield.
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| Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles |
What Is a WAV?
A wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) is a car or van that is adapted with a ramp or lift and sometimes a lowered floor, to accommodate a wheelchair user to get into the vehicle whilst still in their wheelchair and travel in their wheelchair.
On occasions, a wheelchair user will get into the vehicle in their wheelchair and then do an internal transfer on to a standard or adjustable car seat.
My Tips When Looking for a WAV
Suspension and Comfort
Consider the suspension of the vehicle, this is especially important if you suffer with pain.
Van suspensions tend to be harsher than car suspensions, but unfortunately there are a lot more WAVs which are on van ‘bases’.
I find if you are sitting over the back wheels of the vehicle it is more bumpy and painful, so would personally avoid this.
A benefit you get from sitting in your wheelchair in the car is continued pressure relieving from your pressure cushion. Also if your chair is made to measure, you have a chair that supports you properly, compared to a one size fits all car seat.
Position
Do you want to be in the family hub? Or next to the driver? Or even the driver?-Drive from WAVs are a whole blog in itself! For drive from WAVs and upfront WAVs (sitting next to the driver) I would recommend Sirus and GM Coachworks (see links below). There are also WAVs where you (the wheelchair user) sits in the back on your own.
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| Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles- Brotherwood |
Height- Don’t Be Tall!
Disability does not accommodate for tall people- make sure you stay under 6ft! Being 6 foot 1 inches myself this has caused me a lot of problems, as well as reducing the selection of WAVs available to me.If you are tall, look for converters who lower the floor. Also a ramp usually gives more head room than a lift.
Make sure you can see out of the windows. Sometimes converters raise the roof height, however the windows are still in the original position, so depending on your height, you are looking at the roof lining rather than seeing out the window. This is unpleasant and can also lead to headaches and travel sickness.
Equipment
Think about what equipment or medical supplies you need to take with you. Wheelchairs, walking frames, racing wheelchairs to name a few.
Who Needs To Travel with You?
Do you need to accommodate for PAs or carers, parents, siblings, children or more. It may sound simple, but with so much to think about and the focus on meeting the wheelchair users needs, sometimes these things get overlooked.
What Do You Need Your WAV for?
Consider where you need to travel. Your local roads and area. For an example are there lots of speed bumps in your area or where you travel- does the ramp or undercarriage of the car catch on the speed humps?
Different converters convert the cars differently. So one conversion may ground and another one doesn’t. It maybe the same car but a different conversion works better for you.
Ramps vs Lifts
Most WAVs have a ramp for the wheelchair user to access the car. Things to be aware of are: how long is the ramp? How steep is the ramp? Think about practicalities like where you go shopping. Will you have space to
put it out? If it is steep and you use a powerchair is you powerchair managing it comfortably? When either ramps and or your tyres are wet sometimes my wheels of my powerchair end up spinning a bit- so personally I would go for a ramp with a smaller gradient.
put it out? If it is steep and you use a powerchair is you powerchair managing it comfortably? When either ramps and or your tyres are wet sometimes my wheels of my powerchair end up spinning a bit- so personally I would go for a ramp with a smaller gradient.
For manual chairs there is normally the use of a winch which helps pull the wheelchair user up the ramp into the car.
A lift is sometimes another option. You might like to try both to see which you prefer.
Side Entrances vs Rear
Side entrances are generally for upfront WAV conversions, however in the past I have seen some that are for wheelchair users sitting in the back so maybe there are a few.
The advantage of a side entrance is that you still have your boot of the car undisturbed for carrying luggage.
The disadvantage is that it is not always possible to find a parking space with space to the side and sufficient of it to get the ramp out and the turn off the ramp with your wheelchair. Although, disabled spaces are meant to have space either side of them, often there is only space one side and with disabled spaces in the high street, for example it would
mean the wheelchair user either needs to have their ramp out on to the pavement or the road. Neither of which are ideal.
mean the wheelchair user either needs to have their ramp out on to the pavement or the road. Neither of which are ideal.
I suppose for rear entrances it is the opposite. Parking is probably easier, but you don’t really have a boot so storage can be an issue.
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| Wheelchair Accesible Vehicles – Motability |
Go To Events
Go to converter events or Motability events to see a collection of WAVs and find out more. Eg. Motability’s ‘The big event’- these are normally held several times a year in different regions of the UK.
Test Drives
Test drive lots of vehicles. Converters will come out to your home for a free no obligation test drive.
These are so important as everyone is different and has personal preferences and needs.
Consider a second test drive of the vehicle you are thinking of going ahead with.
Take it on a test drive to places you would normally go. Check is there room to park it?
If it is a large WAV does it fit in multi-storey car parks? If the answer is ‘no’ will this effect you?
I would also recommend considering hiring the vehicle for a few days if you can.
WAVSGB are a company that offer a ‘try before you buy’ option. You can hire a WAV for a month, if you then like it at the end of the month you can buy it and you will receive half of the months hire rental back. Alternatively, you can try a different WAV until you find the one that meets your needs.
Securing Your Wheelchair
All WAVs come with tie-down straps. If you have a heavy powerchair let the converter know as often the straps are upgraded to take heavier powerchairs with 200kg straps.
If you have a powerchair you may want to find out whether it has been crash tested.
Docking Plates
I have a docking plate in my WAV and it is fantastic. A docking plate is a piece of metal screwed to the floor, which connects (docks) on to a connecting spigot on my powerchair and docks me in place. Basically, it secures the powerchair so it will not move. This removes the need to use the four tie down straps- two and the front and two at the back.
Dahl is a widely used universal docking system which works with most powerchairs. However, some companies like Baldertech have their own docking system specifically for their chairs.
Not all powerchairs are compatible with a docking system, so it is something worth checking. There is also a list of approved chairs on Dahl’s website.
I find my docking plate keeps me more stable and secure than the tie-down straps, which in turn causes me less pain. In addition to this, I can dock myself which gives me more independence. Other positives include it is so much quicker than putting all the straps on- ramp down I get in and we are off. Furthermore, for the carer/PA/parent it is far less backbreaking as they are not having to lean through sidedoors to try and secure the straps.
Headrests
If you are a wheelchair user who doesn’t as a standard have a headrest, I would definitely recommend having a headrest for travelling in your wheelchair. I see many wheelchair users travelling in their manual wheelchair without a headrest. If you were to be involved in an accident, you could end up with terrible whiplash.
Motability
Motability is a scheme that enables disabled people to exchange their benefit for leasing a car, WAV, powerchair or scooter.
The lease also includes routine maintenance, servicing, vehicle tax, insurance, breakdown cover, tyre repair and replacement and windscreen repairs.
To be eligible you need to be in receipt and have at least 12 months remaining of the enhanced rate of the mobility component in PIP (Personal Independence Payment), the higher rate of the mobility component of DLA (Disability Living Allowance), War pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS) or Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP).
There is normally also an advance payment for the cars. The more expensive the car the higher the advanced payment. WAVs are a lot more expensive than standard cars, so the advance payment tends to be a lot higher.
If the advance payment is unaffordable, sometimes you can get financial support towards it with the Motability charity fund.
Generally, Motability does three year leases on standard cars and five year leases on WAVs.
Motability have lots of information about WAVs.
WAV Dealers
There are many WAV dealers most are approved by Motability.
Here is a collection: Allied Mobility, Automotive Group, Brook Miller, Brotherwood, GM Coachworks, Jubilee Mobility, Lewis Reed, McElmeel, Sirus, TBC Conversions.
Upfront and Drive-From WAVs
I hope you have found this guide helpful.
Hannah x
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