When installing hand controls to drive, we often ask do I need a flip-up accelerator installed too?
Traditionally, it was necessary to ensure the accelerator pedal was able to be flipped up or guarded when driving with the Push-Pull type of mechanical hand controls. The last thing you wanted to happen is for your leg to go into spasm and hit the accelerator pedal by accident. Putting everyone at risk due to losing control of the accelerator when driving was eliminated by having a flip-up accelerator or pedal guard installed.
Fast forward to 2020, with electronic accelerators and the development of hand controls, this is no longer an issue. You don’t need to have a flip–up accelerator because the foot accelerator pedal is automatically annulled when using the hand controls. One less cost to consider when installing hand controls.
We no longer need flip-up accelerators
Once you push the switch to hand controls, the foot accelerator becomes redundant. That is, the foot accelerator pedal is annulled the whole time you are driving with your hand controls. There is no fear that if you are at traffic lights and you have a leg spasm, the accelerator will engage. This will not happen with state-of-the-art technology available today.
This safety feature is available in all our hand controls at Total Ability. The Corded Satellite, the Wireless Satellite, the Trigger or the Over Ring accelerators – they all have the cut off to the accelerator pedal when the hand controls are switched on.
When we analyse the high-level mods such as the Freedom Brake/Accelerator, the Mini Wheel Steering or the Joystick, the safety features for these hand controls are even more stringent and fail–safe.
So be confident that when you are installing hand controls from Total Ability today, the flip–up accelerator or pedal guard is not required.
You may also like to read our Complete Guide to Driving with Disability.