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How To Get A Left Foot Accelerator Installed In British Columbia, Canada

If you are born with a right clubfoot, you may run into issues driving and operating a vehicle. There are many options you can buy online or from Amazon, and given its down at your feet, there is a good chance no one would ever know if you were using one. However, if you are in an accident, or you are in a situation when your vehicle is being inspected, this can put you in legal trouble.

This article is thus a guide on how to get a left foot accelerator installed into your vehicle in British Columbia, Canada. If you are planning to have a left foot accelerator installed, read this guide in its entirety before starting to avoid missing any helpful details.

Process

Overall the following steps need to be done to have a left foot accelerator installed:

  1. Have an assessment done on your driving capabilities
  2. Have your assessor submit a claim to Road Safe BC, recommending the installation of a left foot accelerator
  3. Upon acceptance, go to ICBC to have your drivers license updated with rules allowing you to drive with a left foot accelerator
  4. Bring your vehicle to an auto shop that does Accessibility modifications to purchase and install the left foot accelerator
  5. Complete any required lessons as part of your assessment

1) Get A Driving Assessment

In order to have a left foot accelerator installed, you need to be assessed on your driving capabilities. For clubfoot this is typically an expensive and over-exhaustive process, but it is the only option currently available. The assessment is primarily oriented towards people with spinal injuries or cognitive disabilities. For example, you will be tested on how well you can squeeze your assessors hands and whether you can identify the difference between squares and circles in drawings.

The assessment will include testing mobility, cognition, and finally a on-road driving assessment. The on-road driving assessment is the part that will matter the most for your clubfoot. The whole assessment is scheduled for 6 hours, however, because most of the assessment is not relevent for evaluating driving with clubfoot, it typically will complete in under 4 hours.

Note

When taking your assessment, make sure you have a way to get to and get back from the assessment location without using a vehicle. If you have a valid licence before the assessment, your OT may decide you are not safe to drive on the road and can suspend your license.

Check for transit or ride-share options near your appointments location.

Driving Assessment Portion

The driving assessment will involve yourself, the Occupational Therapist (OT) leading the assessment, and an ICBC instructor. The assessment will provide a vehicle where the ICBC instructor will have a right side steering, gas and break. You will be driving using the standard right-side steering, gas and break. The ICBC instructor will likely have already applied the modifications anticipated for the assessment, but depending how the earlier portion of the assessment has gone, your OT may request changes be made for the driving portion

Note

The vehicle you drive for the assessment can not be decided before hand. The vehicle comes from ICBC, and is often the ICBC instructor's personal vehicle. If the type of vehicle effects your ability to drive with your clubfoot, you will need to regularly mention that to your assessor

For the driving assessment here are some tips:

  • If you are asked to drive with your clubfoot, but feel unsafe to do so. Say so. Do not attempt to drive with your clubfoot.
  • Be vocal about all pains and issues you are experiencing while driving, including any issues while driving with the left foot accelerator. "pushing through it" because its new will go unnoticed and undocumented if you do not voice it.
  • Be clear about your driving goals, and issues you are experiencing
  • If the type of vehicle effects your ability to drive, continue to restate how the assessment vehicle helps or hinders your assessment. Describe details of what vehicles do and do not cause issues, and your driving goals in terms of what types of vehicles you plan to drive.

The reason you need to be vocal and upfront about these issues is because the assessment is catered towards applying the least amount of changes as possible. If the OT making the assessment finds you are fit to drive with your right foot, they will not approve installation of the left foot accelerator. The assessments evaluation of whether you are "able to drive" is measured by how capable you are, not how comfortable you are or how much you are enjoying it. Additionally, you do not get a refund for the assessment if they decide you do not need a left foot accelerator.

Finally, the assessment is more about your ability to drive and/or work with the left foot accelerator. Not whether you shoulder checked every corner, and never went a single kilometer over the speed limit. However, some level of reasonable control is expected. Mistakes, such as speeding in school zones or missing stops signs will be documented in the assessment report.

Assessment Cost

There are two ways to take the assessment. First, by booking the assessment yourself, or by having your family doctor make a referral to ICBC to have your driving assessed. If you are booking the assessment yourself, you will be charged $1500.00 CAD for the assessment. If your referral from your family doctor is approved by ICBC, you will not have to pay anything.

Note

If you book your assessment via referral from your family doctor, there are a few things to consider:

  • ICBC wait-listing and processing is slow. You may be waiting over 3 months for a chance to book an assessment.
  • ICBC may also restrict your drivers license at any point between receiving your referral and you having your assessment.

Assesment Locations

In Vancouver, BC, there are the following locations:

I would strongly recommend against Community Therapists, due to poor personal experience. However, they are quite quick to respond, coordinate and setup an assessment if timeliness is important.

2) Submitting The Assesment Report

After you have completed your assessment, the Occuptational Therapist (OT) will create a report of the assessment and results. This report will then be filed to Road Safe BC with your OTs recommendations for approval. You will receive a copy of this report and have an opportunity to communicate with your OT before it is submitted.

Note

Road Safe BC can reject your OTs recommendations, or they may only approve partial or approve a variance of the recommendations. There is a reasonable chance they may even decide you unfit to drive and suspend your license.

For these reasons, make sure you are able to review your OTs report before they submit it to Road Safe BC. Depending on the results, it may be better to not submit the report.

There is also no refund for your assessment regardless of whether you submit or do not submit the report.

Once the report is submitted, you can expect to hear back from Road Safe BC in 3-4 months, though upwards of 6-8 months is not uncommon. You will receive results from Road Safe BC in a letter in the mail. Your OT will not receive a copy of this letter. Your OT will only have details of the status of their submission - confirming it was received and if it is in processing. To get a status update of your submission to Road Safe BC, you can call them: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/roadsafetybc/contact

3) Updating Your Drivers License

Upon approval, you then need to have your drivers license updated with new restrictions that allow you to drive with a left foot accerator. This is straight forward of visiting your nearest ICBC drivers licensing centre with your Road Safe BC letter. They will then update your license. You will be given a temporary valid license with the new restrictions applied, and a new formal drivers license will be mailed to you in around 90 days.

Note

Your restrictions may not let you drive a right foot accelerated vehicle, and you cannot have your left foot accelerator installed until your drivers license is updated

If you need a vehicle, this may leave you unable to legally drive for the few months it can take between having your license updated, and the appointment time the automotive shop can order and install your hardware

4) Installing Your Left Foot Accelerator

With your license updated, you can now go to an auto mechanic who specializes in accessibility modifications. Your Occupational Therapist, or Road Safe BC letter should provide you with a list of licensed / qualified mechanics. This designation is not something every mechanic has, and for liability and insurance coverage from ICBC, is required.

When you call, you'll need to verify if your vehicle is compatible with the left foot accelerator hardware they will install. Some shops use different products, and they are not all compatible with every make and model of vehicle. If you are buying a vehicle for modification, some shops offer programs where you can coordinate the purchase and delivery of the vehicle from the dealership to their shop. Allowing you to pickup your vehicle with modifications already applied.

Tip

If plan to purchase the left foot accelerator pedal out-of-pocket, call the mechanics as soon as you submit your OTs report to Road Safe BC. This way they can order the hardware while you wait for your approval.

Hardware & Cost

If you are in Canada, there is really only one company that offers left foot accelerator hardware - SureGrip: https://www.suregrip-handcontrols.com/. They sell the SureGrip FeatherLite Left Foot Accelerator (FL211) https://www.suregrip-handcontrols.com/fl211. This pedal costs $1500.00. Fortunatly, because it is a mobility aid, you do not pay taxes, and depending on your mechanic, installation fees may be subsidized.

This installation will involve mounting the left foot accelerator pedal on the left side of your brake pedal, along with a toggle button installed elsewhere. On sedans the toggle button is typically installed on the steering column.

Tip

Talk to the mechanic about where they plan to install the toggle switch. Pick somewhere that is cheap plastic to replace so that if you plan to sell your vehicle later, you can easily have that part replaced. The SureGrip FeatherLite toggle switch comes with also a mounting bracket, providing additional potential mounting options.

Because of the dead pedal / stomp pedal on the left side of most vehicles, the left foot accelerator will end up to the right of it. This roughly places your gas pedal where your clutch pedal would go if the vehicle was a manual transmission. Unfortunatly this is not a very ergonomic setup, as the dead pedal is technically positioned where your vehicle manufacture would place the pedal if it were to go on the left side. Depending on the vehicle, the dead pedal may need to be removed or modified to accomodate the pedal. However, modifying the deal pedal is almost always an irreversible change to your vehicle, and in some newer vehicles, can compromise the structural integrity of the floor below and around the pedals.

Tip

Talk to your mechanic about what their plan is to work with the dead pedal to accomodate the left foot accelerator. Make sure you have a chance to see and talk through the options and changes the mechanic wants to apply if dead pedal modifications are deemed necessary.

Financial Assistance

There are a few options you can try for funding, however there is no direct options for clubfoot when it comes to vehicle adaptation:

If you need your vehicle in order to work, WorkBC offers grants - https://www.workbc.ca/discover-employment-services/assistive-technology-services - https://workbc-ats.ca/

Note

When applying for funding, you will need to apply and be accepted for funding before you purchase and install the left foot accelerator. These programs are catered for low-income disabled individuals. If you purchase the left foot accelerator before hand, your application has a high chance of being denied.

Applications are examined from the perspective of "You are unable to afford the left foot accelerator that you require in order to function in society"

Mechanic Recommendations

Below is a list of recommended certified mechanics

Company Region/Locations Links Notes
SilverCross Automotive Maple Ridge, BC - Canada https://silvercrossauto.com/ Very kind and thoughtful mechanics. They sell exclusively SureGrip hardware and are willing to go above and beyond when it comes to tweaks or issues needed for your installation to be successful. They are open limited hours and can sometimes take several weeks to book an appointment.

Notes About Hardware Installation & Your Vehicle

  • Most dealerships have no policies that accomodate for accessibility modifications. If your vehicle is still under warranty, coverage may become case-by-case because of the installation. Dodge, Chrysler and Honda dealerships have the most accommodation policies, or least advertise to have it, but this is dealership specific policies, not Dodge, Chrysler or Honda level policies.

  • The SureGrip FeatherLite is categorised as a "non-invasive bolt-on" modification. If you later wish to sell your vehicle, dealerships may demote value from your vehicle for the modification. When in this situation, either state that it is fully removable, or have the left foot accelerator removed, and any plastic the was drilled for the toggle button replaced before visiting a dealership. Then do not tell them about it. They will not be able to tell

  • If possible, do not have a gas pedal guard installed. This accessory is highly invasive, and has to be drilled into the floor of your vehicle. Your occupational therapist doing the assessment may recommend it. Talk to them about the necessity of the accessory and whether it can be optional. This accessory will effect the resale value of your vehicle.