By Lucy Wyndham
At present, there are more than 11 million people living with disability in the UK. Among these, nearly 2.38 million in England alone are in possession of a ‘Blue Badge’ that is a parking badge that is issued for disabled drivers, giving us a clear indication of the number of disabled drivers in the United Kingdom. Driving is a big deal for anyone trying to maintain a sense of independence which is why many BMW enthusiasts with disabilities attempt to seek out ways to make their beloved cars more accessible. Luckily, there are a number of simple yet practical modifications that can be made to a BMW to render it as disabled-friendly as possible.
Adapting your BMW for your disabilities
There are a number of car accessories available that will help individuals living with both lower and upper body disabilities remain safely on the road. You can get your BMW personalised in a number of ways that will not only make it significantly easier to get in and out of it but more comfortable to drive as well. Among the more common accessibility modifications that can be made in the car include adapted mirrors and seat belts, steering wheel balls, and a range of hand controls to operate everything from the accelerator to the indicators.
Speed control has to be simplified
One of the greatest barriers faced by drivers with mobility concerns is making use of the brake and accelerator pedals in a vehicle. The most efficient way to overcome this obstacle is to install an electronic accelerator in your BMW. There are a number of different models available to choose from such as trigger accelerators and various ring accelerators that allow you to control the speed of the vehicle by simple finger movements. If you are still able to make use of the conventional pedals, but battle to reach them you can choose to have them extended that will allow you to experience a much more comfortable drive.
Steering made easy
Everyone who has ever driven a BMW can tell you it steers like a dream. Someone with a mobility concern may, however, need to modify the traditional steering mechanism to suit his needs better. There are a number of easy solutions to this steering concern such as the fitting of a steering wheel ball which will allow for significantly more control while steering your car. Steering wheel balls are especially important if you already have other hand controls installed as it will enable you to steer the car safely with one hand only.
Living with a disability may pose certain challenges but it does not have to strip you of your independence. By making a few simple modifications to your BMW, you will be able to drive your beloved vehicle comfortably, safely and with all the swagger expected of a BMW owner.