Drive Adaptations: "It opened up everything for me"

A teenage fencing injury caused early degeneration of Lara Smith's lumbar spine and, ultimately, led to her developing cervical myelopathy. Ten years ago, an operation to decompress her spinal cord meant she had to stop driving for several weeks. Post-recovery, it was immediately clear Lara would need assistance to be able to drive again.

"I got the car off the driveway but I was in so much pain with my neck that my husband had to just put the car back on the drive and help me back into the house," says Lara, a former staff nurse. "It was quite evident I wasn't going to be driving anytime soon. I'd already got a Motability Scheme car and they said to me, 'Don't worry, come in for an assessment.'"

At the assessment, she was given advice on which adaptations could help. They have since transformed her daily life. "It just opened up everything for me," says Lara. "I was at a really low place," she says of the time spent unable to drive. "The adaptations make a massive difference."

18-inch rear-view mirror

"It's lovely because I don't have to move my head," says Lara. "I can literally just look across and see the whole [rear view]."

Extra wing mirrors

"I have extra mirrors that sit on top of my wing mirrors, as if I am towing a caravan," she says.

Ultra-light steering

Lara describes this as "like driving on ice" for a standard driver, "but for me, it feels like normal. That's the biggest thing for me, because without it I don't have the power in my arms [to steer] and it would then cause me pain and fatigue."

A suite of helpful accessories

A symptom of her condition is tremors and reduced hand dexterity, so Lara's car is an automatic with keyless entry, a push-button start and an electronic handbrake. Blind spot indicators help Lara navigate traffic, and front and rear cameras help with manoeuvring, given her restricted mobility. Plus, an electronic tailgate means Lara can open and close her boot without relying on others, and electronic seat adjustments give her further independence. "It was nice; having what some people might perceive as really little things actually really enabled me," says Lara.

Vehicle access

Driving a people carrier is also positive for Lara. She says it's important "having a car with that sort of spec for me to get into and out of because of not being able to just tilt my head." Narrow door sills also help her mitigate the difficulty of lifting her legs. Leather seats are also a boon, reducing friction and helping her swivel out of the seat with a simple spin.

Photos: Courtesy of Lara Smith