Disabled driving

s.keane25

Hi all,

Just looking for some advise with regards to disabled driving. Long story short: I have no movement in my left arm and difficulty walking as a result of an RTA. I have been advised by the IWA that I need to use a lollipop stick to drive with one hand, along with using an automatic car with an electric handbrake. Cars that generally come with the electric handbrake are out of my price range and I have been declined the primary medical cert by revenue. I have just been told that my local health nurse can provide a cert that will allow me to claim my VRT back on a secondhand car.

Does anyone know if this is true?

Also I have been told that no insurance company will cover any other driver to drive my car, even though the lollipop can be popped out for normal driving. Has anyone any experience regarding same? Iv tried contacted my insurance company but cant get through and no other insurance company will even entertain my questions.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I just feel so lost in all of this and receiving no help from the government.

Mefistofelino

My in-laws - one of whom was a disabled driver - shared an automatic car, with handbrake adapter and removable lollipop and had no difficulties in getting insurance for them both to drive the same car. However this was in the 90's and early 2000s so I don't know if the situation has changed since.

Its possible to have a car with a manual handbrake converted to an electric handbrake for disabled driving so it could be possible to retro-fit to a second hand automatic car

https://www.motabilityireland.com/conversions/driver-conversions/electric-hand-brake

colm_mcm

You either qualify for a PMC or not. Ask your nurse if you qualify for it.

What is your budget for the car, including adaptations?

zilog_jones

s.keane25 wrote: »

...along with using an automatic car with an electric handbrake.

A lot of automatics use manual parking brakes operated by a foot pedal, especially Japanese cars. Would you be able to use one of those?

kirving

Mercedes Autos tend to use a gear shift stalk on the right side which basically leaves my left arm totally free - well worth looking into.

Hard press of the brake pedal will half the car in place akin to a handbrake. Left side foot operated parking brake could be operated with the right foot if needed.

pjdarcy

According to the criteria on the citizen's info website here it sounds like you don't qualify for the primary medical cert.

Also, they say https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/transport_and_disability/tax_relief_for_disabled_drivers_and_disabled_passengers.html that you must have the PMC in order to qualify for the VAT/VRT relief under the government scheme.

The only place that I could suggest that might be able to help you is Motability Ireland in Ashbourne. They have adapted several cars for me over the years and they're extremely knowledgeable and helpful.

vectra

s.keane25 wrote: »

Hi all,

I have been declined the primary medical cert by revenue. I have just been told that my local health nurse can provide a cert that will allow me to claim my VRT back on a secondhand car.
.

As said above,
You either are passed for the PMC or you are not,
I have never heard of a Nurse signing something to enable you to reclaim VRT!