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Checklist for your car

Our trusted assessor qualified team are here to help in your choice of product. Make sure you get the one that best suits you and your needs.

Here is a comprehensive guide to things to consider when getting in and out of a car with reduced mobility:

General Considerations Before You Start

  • Plan ahead — choose parking spaces that give maximum door opening width and easy access
  • Disabled parking badge (Blue Badge) — ensures access to wider bays closer to destinations
  • Allow extra time — rushing increases the risk of falls and injury
  • Wear appropriate footwear — non-slip soles and supportive shoes aid stability
  • Inform companions — ensure anyone with you knows how to assist safely without pulling or lifting awkwardly
  • Assess your vehicle — not all cars suit all mobility needs; the right car makes a significant difference

The Car Itself

Vehicle Height & Type

  • Higher vehicles — SUVs, MPVs, and 4x4s require less bending to sit down but require a bigger step up
  • Lower vehicles — saloons & sports cars sit closer to the ground, making transfers harder
  • The ideal height — the seat base should be roughly level with the back of the knees when standing beside the car
  • Sliding door vehicles — people carriers or vans with sliding doors offer wider, easier access compared to conventional doors

Seat Position & Adjustability

  • Seat height adjustment — raising the seat reduces the distance to lower yourself
  • Seat slide — moving the seat far back creates more legroom for entry and exit
  • Swivel seats — factory-fitted or aftermarket swivel seats rotate to face the door opening, eliminating the need to twist into position
  • Powered seats — allow precise positioning without physical effort
  • Seat base angle — a flatter/slightly forward-tilted seat can make it easier to stand up

Steering Wheel & Interior Space

  • Tilt and telescopic steering wheel — move it out of the way during entry and exit
  • Grab handles — many cars have handles above the door; check they are sturdy enough to bear weight
  • Door opening angle — some cars have doors that stay open at multiple positions; wider opening is better for transfers
  • Interior grab points — check what is available inside the car to hold onto during transfers

Getting Into the Car — Step by Step Considerations

  • Back up to the seat — stand with your back to the seat rather than trying to lower yourself facing forward
  • Feel the seat behind you — use your hands to locate the seat before lowering
  • Lower slowly and in control — use armrests, door frame, or grab aids to control the descent
  • Sit first, then swing legs in — once seated, use hands or a leg lifter to bring legs into the vehicle
  • Avoid holding the door frame top — it can move; the door itself is not a stable support
  • Avoid twisting the spine — rotate the body as a whole unit when swinging legs in

Getting Out of the Car — Step by Step Considerations

  • Slide the seat back fully — creates maximum space to manoeuvre
  • Open the door as wide as possible — gives more room and access to external grab points
  • Swing both legs out first — before attempting to stand; keep feet flat on the ground
  • Lean forward — shift weight forward over the feet before pushing up to stand
  • Push up from the seat — use the seat base, door frame, or grab aids rather than pulling on the door
  • Take a moment before walking — allow balance and circulation to settle before moving off

Mobility Aids for Getting In and Out

Grab Handles & Support Aids

  • Portable car handle (cane handle/door frame handle) — fits into the door latch mechanism; provides a sturdy grab point; inexpensive and easy to use
  • Overhead grab handles — some cars have these built in above the door
  • Grab bars fitted to vehicle — permanent solutions fitted to the door pillar or floor

Seat Aids

  • Swivel cushion (rotating cushion) — a low-cost disc that sits on the seat and rotates, helping the user turn in and out without twisting
  • Powered swivel seat — replaces the existing seat with a motorised version that rotates and sometimes extends out of the door opening
  • Seat raisers — firm cushions that raise the seat height, reducing the distance to lower down and making it easier to stand
  • Transfer boards — used to slide across from a wheelchair to the car seat

Leg Aids

  • Leg lifter — a looped strap or rigid aid that helps lift the leg into and out of the vehicle when leg strength or flexibility is limited
  • Foot placement tools — help position the feet correctly on the floor or footwell

Hoists & Lifts

  • Portable hoist — for those unable to transfer independently; requires a carer and appropriate space
  • Overhead vehicle hoist — fitted inside larger vehicles; lifts the user into the seat
  • Wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) — purpose-built or converted vehicles where the user can remain in their wheelchair; accessed via a ramp or lift

The Parking Environment

  • Blue Badge bays — wider than standard bays; use them to ensure full door opening
  • Surface underfoot — avoid parking on slopes, gravel, or uneven surfaces
  • Space on the transfer side — always try to park so the easiest transfer side has the most space
  • Distance from destination — minimise walking distance after exiting the vehicle
  • Kerb height — consider whether there is a dropped kerb or step at the destination
  • Weather conditions — wet or icy surfaces significantly increase fall risk; allow extra care and time

Vehicle Adaptations

  • Hand controls — for those unable to use foot pedals; allow driving using hand-operated brake and accelerator
  • Steering aids — spinner knobs or cuffs for those with limited grip or one-handed driving
  • Extended mirrors — improve visibility without excessive turning
  • Keyless entry — eliminates the need to fumble with keys
  • Automatic transmission — removes the need to operate a clutch; significantly easier with lower limb weakness
  • Powered tailgate or boot — useful if carrying mobility equipment such as a folded wheelchair or scooter
  • Ramp for scooter or wheelchair loading — manual or powered boot ramps allow equipment to be loaded without heavy lifting

Carrying & Loading Mobility Equipment

  • Wheelchair hoists — boot-mounted hoists that lift a folded wheelchair into the boot automatically
  • Scooter ramps and lifts — allow a mobility scooter to be driven onto a ramp and loaded into a vehicle
  • Roof-mounted wheelchair carriers — keep the boot free while transporting a folded chair
  • Dismantling lightweight wheelchairs — some chairs are designed to come apart into lighter sections for easier manual loading

Professional Assessment & Support

  • Driving Mobility centres (UK) — provide independent assessments of fitness to drive and suitable vehicle adaptations; highly recommended for anyone with a new or changing condition
  • Occupational therapist (OT) — can assess transfer techniques and recommend appropriate aids
  • Motability Scheme (UK) — allows those receiving qualifying disability benefits to lease an adapted car, scooter, or powered wheelchair
  • Vehicle adaptation specialists — companies that fit hand controls, swivel seats, hoists, and other modifications to existing vehicles
  • GP or specialist referral — may be needed to confirm fitness to drive following illness, injury, or surgery
  • Remember there are solutions other than driving your own vehicle we can connect you with local specialist taxi services for the less able.

Emotional & Confidence Considerations

  • Fear of falling — very common; practising transfers in a safe environment builds confidence
  • Accepting help — knowing when to ask for assistance is important for safety
  • Independence vs safety — balancing the desire to remain independent with realistic risk assessment
  • Reassessment over time — mobility needs change; regularly review whether current aids and techniques are still appropriate

We work closely with a range of vehicle adaption specialists ensuring the best possible support and choice of stylish products

This checklist covers the key points, but an assessment from an occupational therapist, physiotherapist or one of our trusted assessors is always the best first step — we offer free no obligation assessments.

To view our selected range of Vehicle Adaptations, please click here.