Vehicle Hand Controls | What Should I Know?

Thankfully, as time has gone on, there have been an increased amount of ways to help aid accessibility in a vehicle. The industry has brought out quite a few different vehicle hand control devices as each decade has progressed.

Drivers can purchase a car with these adaptations already installed. This does mean that people with a disability that are looking to purchase a car will need to find out which vehicle hand control system will be most beneficial to them, and help aid their driving.

Hand controls typically allow the driver to operate both the brake and gas pedal by using a system of levers that are normally mounted below the steering wheel and attached to the pedal themselves. Below, we take a look at the main types of vehicle hand control setups, however, it is highly recommended that you speak with a respectable hand controls seller, who will be able to guide you through the full range of their offerings.

What Should I Know About Vehicle Hand Controls? 

Hand controls allow the driver to operate both the brake and gas pedal using levers that are typically mounted below the steering wheel and attach to the pedals themselves.

Push/Pull

These work by pushing the lever forward on the handle, the vehicle’s brakes will then engage, and when it is pulled backwards, the vehicle will accelerate. For even greater control, a three-post hand interface can be installed to allow the user to maintain contact with the handle. This mode would be a good option for a person with limited finger dexterity.

Push/Right Angle

Another good option for people with limited finger dexterity is a push/right angle control. This allows the operator to push the handle upward toward the instrument panel to brake, and then downward at a right angle to accelerate.

Push/Rock

With this control, a driver can apply the accelerator and brakes by hand. When the upright handle is rocked rearward towards the user, the accelerator is applied. 

Push/Rotate

This allows for a ‘push/twist’ style of the hand control. This is a good choice, especially for a larger driver or a small car situation, where space in the vehicle is limited. With this setup, economical use of space is taken advantage of as the lever only needs to be moved in order to apply the brake. Throttle control is achieved by twisting the grip in the same way as you would for a motorcycle. 

Electronically Assisted Hand Controls

Here we have an option that offers two types of controls. Primary controls that manage gas, brakes, and the steering wheel. Then there are the secondary driving controls that are designed to operate other vehicle options.

Manual Driving Controls

These are controls that work the clutch and allow the operator to shift gears, but these are not too common. It is important to remember that every disability is different and that each person will require different driving aids. To help determine the most suitable option, an evaluation can be performed by a certified driving specialist.

We hope this article has been helpful to finding the perfect driving aid for your car. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 01525 850588 or head over to our contact page to fill in our online enquiry form. Here at PB Conversions, we offer a range of hand controls for vehicles and can help to ensure you choose the best one.