Use a ramp to get a mobility scooter or wheelchair into a car
A ramp can be used with manual wheelchair, powered wheelchair or mobility scooter
You need to walk to your seat or have helper.
Ramps can be portable but can be heavy. Ramps are a comparatively cheap way of getting a wheelchair or mobility scooter into a car. You just need good dexterity and a large enough vehicle.
There are 2 kinds of ramps – channel ramps or flat ramps
Folding channel ramps are widely available from adaptation suppliers costing between £100 to £500 are portable, carried in the boot and hook on to the back of the vehicle.
They enable someone to push a light wheelchair or scooter up the ramp and enable a powered wheelchair or scooter to run up under its own power and some can be fitted with an electric winch to your vehicle to help.
Look for folding ramps or telescopic ramps that have carrying handles which make them easier to use.
If you’re going to use a ramp on your own, you'll need to:
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get the ramp out and into position and put it away afterwards
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make your way round to the driver's seat once you've stowed your wheelchair/scooter
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check there's enough room to get the ramp in the car easily once the wheelchair is loaded.
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secure the ramps - best done with pins that slot into locating holes drilled into the vehicle floor.
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make sure the ramp is secured during the journey.
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check that a wide folding ramp have sides that help keep the wheelchair or scooter in line.
Think about
How many times a day will you be getting the ramps out to load a wheelchair or mobility scooter into and out of the car?
If you’ll get too tired, think about a wheelchair boot hoist - see link below
Ramps - check everything is safe and hunky-dory
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Check that the side guards on the ramp are high enough to stop your wheelchair from coming off. Make sure they don't catch the underside of the chair when going up.
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When using two narrow 'channel ramps', make sure the channels are wide enough to allow the castors to turn.
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For a three-wheeled mobility scooter, use a wide ramp or three channel ramps. Look for a ramp that is wide enough to take the wheels easily.
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What’s a safe incline? - Check with the ramp suppliers or check online
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Don't forget ramps often need to be quite long, so that the incline isn't too steep
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When you park, you’ll need to have enough room behind your car for the whole length of the ramp plus the length of your wheelchair or mobility scooter.
