Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAV) versus Vehicle Adaptations
Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles (WAV) are vehicles that have been adapted to allow access for a wheelchair user, enabling you to travel without needing to get out of your wheelchair. In comparison, a vehicle adaptation such as a person lift or transfer plate, provides the means for a wheelchair user to transfer easily into a front or rear, driver or passenger car seat.
To help you decide if a person lift or transfer plate from Autochair is the right choice for you, we’ve put together the table below explaining key differences between each option.
| Vehicle Adaptations | Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | The Milford Person costs from as little as £795 on the Motability Scheme with a Transfer Plate from as little as £9. | A brand-new vehicle with modifications can cost around £40,000. | ||
| Safety | You’ll have full advantage of standard vehicle safety systems by being seated in the car naturally, such as locking seatbelts, air bags and supportive seats. | The restraints and modifications for your wheelchair will provide your only safety. | ||
| Travelling | You will be able to sit in the front or rear of the car with your travelling companions | WAVs often require you to sit alone in the rear, isolating you from other passengers. | ||
| Comfort | You can be seated comfortably with all the usual luxuries of your car such as air conditioning and heated seats. Drivers can travel at normal speeds and take corners without issue. | You may not have access to all the car’s comforts from your seat. The driver will need to drive slower and take corners with extreme caution. | ||
| Vehicles | Vehicle adaptations can be fitted to a range of motors, either your current car or a new one. | WAVs comprise only a small range of vehicles, which are mainly vans or MPVs. | ||
| Discreet | Look and feel like any other car passenger or driver; our adaptations are subtle and discreet. | You're always on view to the public in a WAV since you sit in the back of the van or MPV. | ||
| Economy | You can pick an economical vehicle that saves money on fuel and running costs. | You are limited to a small range of larger vans or MPVs which can cost more to run. | ||
| Transferable | When you get a new vehicle, your adaptions can be swapped over. | If you want a new WAV, you'll have to purchase the vehicle and all the modifications all again. | ||
| Selling | You can then sell your vehicle to a large market and at a normal price by simply removing the adaptions. | WAVs can't be converted back. You will have to sell the vehicle to a smaller market, at a lower price. | ||
A vehicle adaptation can also be added to a WAV, meaning that a wheelchair user can select which option they’d prefer for different types of journeys. For example, choosing to stay in a wheelchair with a WAV modification for a short journey, but opting for the vehicle adaption to be seated in a car’s seat for a long journey. If you’re looking for an easy solution to accommodate reduced mobility and transfer from a wheelchair when travelling in a vehicle.
