Help Comes in the Form of a Handicap Accessible Vehicles
Handicap accessible vehicles are a vital part of living for someone with a physical handicap who has to use a wheelchair. It helps to increase their mobility and their freedom. If there was no way safely to transport the person in a wheelchair, then the individual who is handicapped would probably be stranded at home all the time. For a long time, the handicap van was the only way to transport the wheel chair.
With today’s technology and the help of groups like NMEDA, handicap accessible vehicles have come a long way. NMEDA stands for National Mobility Equipment Dealer’s Association. NMEDA is a not for profit trade association of mobility equipment dealers, manufacturers, driver rehabilitation specialists and other professionals. NMEDA is dedicated to the ability and safety for people with disabilities to drive or be transported in vehicles modified with mobility equipment. All of our members work together improving the transportation options for people with disabilities.
As a group, we offer additional educational training to help to ensure current knowledge of the mobility equipment. One of the courses we offer online is the NMEDA Certification Program. This program is for our members only and for service department technicians. This program is intended to standardize technical competency for the automotive mobility industry. This certification is very important; it proves your abilities and shows that you are one of the best in the business. These credentials are recognized throughout NMEDA’s membership. Becoming a member requires some steps from those applying. They must fill out the application, complete the classes, and pass the test with at least an 80%. This certification will have to be renewed every two years.
We also offer a Dealer Sales Training Online Course. This course is for anyone working in the fields of mobility equipment sales, service and support. This is to ensure that all the staff dealing in the sales, service and support of the mobility equipment has the general knowledge of the working equipment and its safety. This program is also designed so that the sales staff will be able to help the customers to make the right choices when it comes to the equipment that they need.
When you are looking to purchase a handicap vehicle, check for the nearest NMEDA dealer in your area. Make sure you tell the trained salesperson what you are looking for. Also be sure to tell him all of your driving needs. The sales person is trained to know how to guide you to choose what equipment will best suit your needs. Some dealers will have a variety of new and used vehicles. It will depend on your needs and you financial situation, which way you will want to go.
Knowing if the handicapped person will be driving the vehicle or just a passenger in the vehicle will make a big difference in what options the vehicle will need to be equipped. If the handicapped person will be driving the vehicle, there is a good chance that the vehicle will have to be equipped with hand controls for steering and working the gas and brakes. There are a lot of choices to make when choosing the right handicap accessible vehicles.