April 1998
The number of vehicles with adaptive equipment is expected to continue to increase as the U. S. population ages and as access to employment, travel, and recreation continues to improve for persons with disabilities, as a result of the ADA. To guide agency research in this area, NHTSA began soliciting information on potential safety issues for users of adapted vehicles via the NHTSA Internet site in 1997. [Internet users may visit http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/adaptive for NHTSA's questionnaire on Automotive Safety Issues for Persons with Disabilities]. Users (drivers and passengers) of vehicles with adaptive equipment were invited to complete a brief questionnaire on the type of vehicle modified for use and the equipment and/or modification(s) in use. Users were also asked to make an assessment of the safety of the modified vehicle. The responses to the questionnaire were obtained by inviting respondents to complete it rather than obtaining responses from a random sample of users of adapted vehicles, and therefore, may not be representative of the population of users of adapted vehicles. It was expected, however, that those choosing to complete the questionnaire could be biased toward persons with safety concerns regarding their adapted vehicles, and as a result, would provide NHTSA with insight into potential safety issues for adapted vehicles. The following provides a summary of questionnaire responses to date.
A total of fifty-nine visitors to the NHTSA web site completed the Automotive Safety Issues for Persons with Disabilities questionnaire during the period May 1997 - March 1998. The majority, 36/59 or 61%, were drivers of the adapted vehicle. Ten of the respondents (17%) were passengers in the adapted vehicle, while 13 of the respondents (22%) used the vehicle as both passenger and driver.
Equal numbers of questionnaire respondents (20/59) indicated that the adapted vehicle being used was either a passenger car or standard van, each representing 34% of those responding. Almost the same proportion of respondents indicated that the modified vehicle in use was a minivan (17 of 59 or 29% of respondents). None of the respondents indicated that the modified vehicle was a heavy truck (over 10,000 pounds GVWR) or a motor home. Table 1 provides information on the type of adapted vehicle in use by questionnaire respondents.
| Vehicle Type | No. Of Respondents | % Total |
| Passenger Car | 20 | 34% |
| Van | 20 | 34% |
| Minivan | 17 | 29% |
| Pickup | 1 | 2% |
| Sport Utility | 1 | 2% |
| Total | 59 | 100%* |
Questionnaire respondents were next asked to choose from a list of 25 specific vehicle modifications or adaptations presently in use in their vehicles. The choices ranged from modifications for the purposes of accomodating users of wheechairs (e.g., securement, ramp, raised roof, hoist or carrier, lift, etc.) to vehicle control adaptations (e.g., power assist hand control, joystick, electonic gas/brake, steering control devices, etc.). Questionnaire respondents could select as many choices from the list of adaptations as were applicable. Table 2 provides details on the five types of modifications most often reported by respondents.
Type of Modification
% Respondents
Reporting Use Hand Control
56% Wheelchair Securement
42% Lift
34% Automatic Door Opener
31% Steering Control Device
29%
Finally, questionnaire respondents were asked to rate their feelings about the safety of their adapted vehicle by responding to the question "How do you feel about the safety of your automotive equipment or modified vehicle?" Respondents used a scale of 0 (don't feel safe at all) to 5 (feel very safe) to answer this question. Table 3 provides details on the choices questionnaire respondents made regarding the safety of their vehicles.
| Safety Rating | No. Of Respondents | % Total |
| 0 - Don't Feel Safe | 2 | 3% |
| 1 | 5 | 8% |
| 2 | 6 | 10% |
| 3 | 8 | 14% |
| 4 | 23 | 39% |
| 5 - Feel Very Safe | 15 | 25% |
| Total | 59 | 100% |
As shown in Table 3, more than 3/4 of the respondents, 78%, rated their adapted vehicles as 3, 4, 5, indicating that most felt their vehicles to be safe (average safety rating=3.5). By vehicle type, however, users of adapted passenger cars rated their vehicles slightly safer (average rating=4) than users of adapted minivans (average rating=3.2) and users of adapted vans (average rating=3.1)
NHTSA plans to continue to monitor website visitors' responses to the Automotive Safety Issues for Persons with Disabilities questionnaire to determine if the patterns reported here remain consistent. Questions regarding this research note may be directed to Delmas Johnson at (202) 366-5382 or Gayle Dalrymple at (202) 366-5559. For additional copies, please call (202) 366-4198 or toll free, 1-800-934-8517. This research note and other traffic safety information is available to Internet users at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/ncsa.