If you or someone in your family is a wheelchair user, then you may wish to have a wheelchair accessible vehicle. Choosing one of these can be a daunting task. You will have to choose something that meets the needs of the person using the wheelchair, and is comfortable for the other people who will be using it.
Here are some things that you might want to think about when trying to choose a vehicle.
Will it handle a bigger wheelchair in the future?
If you are buying your own wheelchair accessible vehicle, then if it is possible, you may want to plan for the future as much as for the present. Is it likely that the car may need to accommodate a bigger wheelchair and how would it do so?
Think about the size of the vehicle that you want?
Think about the size of the vehicle that you want and try and get one that will fit all of the family together so that you do not need to take separate cars on your family days out. If you are planning on expanding your family within the next couple of years, try and get one big enough to incorporate that.
Think about the layout of the seating plan to make sure that from where everyone is sat, they will all be able to communicate and hear each other easily.
Think about the budget
While a wheelchair accessible vehicle may be a necessity for your family, buying one can be quite expensive. Especially if you do not qualify for funding or financial help towards the cost. However, there are ways that you may be able to choose one that does not put too much strain on the family budget. Instead of buying a new one, you could look into the cost difference of buying a used one, or even renting one out if you are not sure how long you will need to use it for.
Think about storage
When families travel together, especially those with young children, they sometimes need to take a lot of luggage with them. Make sure that you also have room to comfortably take all of that with you.
Choosing the right one is an important decision that should not be taken lightly and give lots of thought to.