W hen you try to buy a wheelchair van you may end up getting featherbrained listening to all of those cant the salesman just said. Well, here you can find some of them with a brief explanation. I hope this can help you get over that purchasing indecision and with much less headaches. These are not precisely “jargons” but some terms that has a high chance getting said over and over again by the wheelchair van salesmen.
1. Van conversion
No wheelchair van is originally a wheelchair van when it’s out of the factory. The vans are designed and manufactured as common passenger cars targeted at the mass market. A van conversion is the process where the van is customized with a wheelchair lift or a wheelchair ramp. The interior is also modified to provide easier access give more spacious room for the handicapped person riding on a wheelchair.
2. Hand Controls
When a disabled individual would like to drive the van then it will need an additional Hand Controls for easier riding. Since the feet won’t be able to hit the brake and the gas pedal then these two functions will be handled by hand with the new controls.
3. Kneeling system
With this arrangement the van really lower itself nearer to the ground - by means of air suspension - for easy loading. Air suspension is not a standard feature in most vans so the original suspension must be modified for this system. It is much easier for a person on a manual wheelchair to push their wheelchair up the ramp using this system. However, this system is tend to break easily so ask for this feature only if you truly need it.
4. ADA compliance
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides a design guide consisting key information about how to create accessible car and van spaces. When you purchase an ADA compliant van you can be sure it is of highest quality, contains the necessary accessories and follow the safety and accessibility standards.
5. Crash test
Converting a van is a big deal. Any kind of alteration made to the car will have an effect to it’s rigidity and safety. Even though the original van have passed a crash test the converted van may not have been crash proven before. Please, choose only from maker / vendor that has passed the crash test for their converted units
6. Post purchase resellers program
When you no longer need your accessible van you can take it back to the dealer and they will either buy it back from you ( at a reduced price ) or sell it for you for a small fee.
7. NMEDA
NMEDA stands for National Equipment Mobility Dealers Association. It’s job is to ensure quality and professionalism in the manufacturing and installation of safe and reliable mobility equipment in vehicles for drivers and passengers with disabilities.
That’s it. I hope that after reading this article your next visit to a wheelchair van dealer won’t be such a puzzling experience.
About the Author:
If you’re in the market of a wheel chair lift, wheel chair ramp or a patient lifter please visit my site at http://www.wheel-chair-lift.org
Article Tags: crash, van, wheelchair
