Welcome to Leicester School Of Motoring
Disability Driving
Disability Driving Instructors, helping people with physical disabilities, special educational needs and those with hearing difficulties.
Physical disability and vehicle adaptations
In the right vehicle with the right controls you could be able to drive and achieve independent mobility.
Vehicle type
· Automatic car
· Manual car
Vehicle adaptations
· Steering ball
· Push pull hand controls
· Electric hand controls
· Centre ring accelerator
· Left foot accelerator
· Secondary controls
Speciality
· Physical Disability
· Special Educational Needs
· Older Driver Improvement
· Remedial Tuition
It is possible that you may still be able to operate the standard controls in a manual car but using an automatic may be an easier alternative; this may be necessary to overcome a physical restriction or help if fatigue is an issue. If the standard controls cannot be operated normally then adaptations can be considered to help overcome the difficulty or to make the driving task easier.
Adaptations can modify the operation of the foot pedals, the steering and the secondary controls (indicators, horn, headlamp dip/flash, wipers and washers); the gear shift and the hand brake can also be modified. The seat and the seat belt system may also need modification and some people may need adaptation to help getting in and out of the car. Finally adaptation may be needed to help with wheelchair loading.
If the legs cannot be used for acceleration and braking then hand controls could be considered. If there is a weakness down one side then using the stronger side, either right or left, would be advisable, if the steering cannot be operated with both hands modification can be made to operate it with one and if the secondary controls cannot be operated without letting go of the steering then these can be operated remotely. For more severe disability the adaptations required become much more complex.
Special educational needs
To successfully learn to drive you need an instructor who understands and can adapt their teaching to suit you.
Hearing difficulties
Find out about our “Deaf Aware” driving instructors.
Being deaf is not a disability, it’s a communication barrier. Finding a specialist driving instructor who has already overcome this barrier will make communication easier; some instructors are fluent in British Sign Language (BSL) and this will be a definite advantage if you sign. If you rely on lip reading however, finding a good “Deaf Aware” driving instructor who is aware of your needs and requirements will help.
There is no reason why a deaf person cannot learn to drive in either a manual or automatic car; an automatic may be easier but if you pass your test in this type of car you will be restricted to only driving automatics, if you pass in a manual you can drive either. If your driving instructor has access to both manual and automatic cars you will be able to try both and then make a more informed judgement about which you prefer.
Disability Driving
£40 per 1hr Automatic driving lessons for pupil with special needs such as Physical Disability, Special Educational Needs, Older Driver Improvement, Remedial Tuition. ( We have automatic car with Steering ball. Push pulls hand controls. Electric hand controls, Left foot accelerator & Secondary controls).