If handicap people in wheel chairs cant walk, how can they drive and use the pedals? is that even safe?
Yes, it is quite possible. There are specialized controls for gas and brake and even a special handle for one handed steering, if required. The wheelchair locks into place too.
hand controls,, for gas brake....we had a pastor, locally that was confined to a wheel chair and drove fine with out the use of his legs
Jonathon Lovell - olympic cyclist - quadraplegic after a dump truck hit him. Mr. Lovell used to drive a very special Ford Econoline van using his wrists and blow tubes for most of the controls. I used to do business with the company that serviced this van. Not sure if Mr. lovell still drives though.
Yes if they can use hand controls. If their disability prevents them from using hand controls then no. Also not all wheelchair users are unable to walk, some just need the wheelchairs to go distances (like walking around a mall or larger store). I'm a wheelchair user (not wheelchair bound) and I will be able to drive with the use of hand controls. Since I can't move my feet at all and wear leg braces it would be too difficult to press the pedals on the floor.
Yes, it is safe. Most people in wheel chairs can drive and use the pedals exactly the same way as everyone else. Many of them either a) have full use of their feet (when sitting) and are in wheel chairs only because they cannot stand due to problems with parts of their body that you don't use to drive, or b) are in wheel chairs only because of problems with the left side of their body, but have automatically and perfectly functioning right sides, which is all that matters, because you are supposed to use only the right foot for the pedals in a car with automatic transmission. (When driving, the left foot is supposed to be used only for the clutch pedal, and cars with automatic transmission don't have one.) In the very, very rare cases where the person's handicap does affect their ability to use the pedals, they get special hand controls installed that do the same thing as the pedals, except that you don't need your feet to operate them.
