Car Lifts for your wheelchair or scooter!
- Car lifts facilitate in moving the wheelchair in and out of a car. Lifting a heavy wheelchair is not an easy task for the disabled especially if they are older or lack upper body strength. These lifts are wired to the vehicle’s batteries and are operated by a simple-to-use hand remote control that even people with increased physical disabilities can operate. Most models of lifts are compatible with SUV’s, minivans or just the trunk of a normal car.
- There are a variety of lifts for cars available and cover almost every wheelchair and car style. Many of these car lifts work by simply pulling the wheelchair, which is controlled by a hand held remote control into the trunk of the car. The disadvantage of these lifts is the space they occupy inside the car. A simple straightforward lightweight lift would cost you around $600 while more sophisticated lifts such as the Harmar Mobility AL400 could cost you around $2400.
- A slightly cheaper alternative to a lifting device is a ‘basket’ that mounts on the back of your vehicle. One of the great things about these basket lifts for your car is that you don’t need to disassemble your electric wheelchair in order for it to fit in the car. Nor does it take up any internal space, be it in the form of seats or trunk space. The downside is that the wheelchair is attached to the outside of your car whilst you are moving where it is exposed to wind and weather, and possibly theft. Whilst these devices are proven to be perfectly safe, you might find it slightly disconcerting to have your wheelchair carried outside the car.
- If you invest in this type of car lift, be sure that, when the car is being used without the wheelchair extension that the shelf has been taken off to lessen the risk of someone driving behind you unwittingly driving into it. It sticks out a fair distance at the back, and can be hazardous when there is nothing on it, as it is hard to see. Most of these type of lifts are made of galvanized steel and therefore are rust resistant. They usually cost under $800 depending on the manufacturer.