Josh O’Sullivan and instructor Barry Reid featured on an episode of Nationwide on RTÉ One earlier this month that focused on those living with disabilities. Image: RTÉ

Delvin teen with cerebral palsy learns to drive in adapted car

Josh O’Sullivan says he “didn’t think it was possible” he would be able to drive after he was born with cerebral palsy.

The 17-year-old, who has limited function in his left foot and hand, is now eight lessons in, driving with a specially adapted car and he hopes to take his test this year.

His instructor Barry Reid works for the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) at the Springfield Centre in Mullingar and has been putting people with disabilities through the driving test for 26 years.

Josh says he is progressing well in his driving under Barry’s stewardship and is confident of getting his licence. “It’s great because I thought I wouldn’t be able to drive growing up,” said the Delvin teenager.

“I learned to cycle a bike at a late age compared to other people.

“I only realised it was possible after my dad had started ringing around to different places and he found the IWA.”

The Athboy Community School student says he hasn’t been affected badly by the condition. “My right side is perfect and on my left side it’s mostly my hand, but my foot is slightly affected as well,” he says.

“I have trouble gripping things but I can walk, run, and cycle – other people would need other things like walking aids and things like that.

“Growing up, it took me longer to do certain things than it took other people, but I get there and it’s fine and school was dead-on – I never had any problems with it there.”

Before he got behind the wheel, Josh needed to complete extra steps because of his disability, such as filling out forms and undergoing a GP assessment – then it was time to find an adaptation for the training car to suit his needs.

“The car is automatic and I use what’s called a lollipop hand control, attached to the wheel,” he says.

“I can only use one hand, so this adaptation allows me to use wiper controls, lights, and things like that while keeping my hand on the wheel.

“It can be difficult in certain situations like when you’re on a roundabout turning and you need to press a button.

“Sometimes you might press the wrong button in those situations, so it is trickier to drive than an average car – but I am progressing and everything is starting to blend together.

“It gives me great freedom – hopefully, I’ll get my test in this year and then I’ll also need to get my own adapted car.”

Sporting activities have been essential to Josh in managing his cerebral palsy.

“I do Taekwondo, I cycle and I go swimming in the lakes during summer,” Josh says. “I like to keep active; it’s the way to be and it helps strengthen my muscles.

“Taekwondo helps stretch my legs and my hand; it gives me something to focus on. I’ve been doing it since I was young and I’ve found it’s really helped me – exercise has been a big factor in managing it growing up.”

IWA

IWA driving instructor and assessor Barry Reid says they have adaptations to cater to all sorts of disabilities on their training car in Mullingar. “There are left foot accelerators, hand controls, and a multitude of adaptations that go on the steering wheel – we have around 15-18 different ways to drive our training car,” he says.

“You can even have an accelerator on the steering wheel with a ring on it that you pull gently from the back to accelerate the vehicle – anything can be done, but unfortunately costs are the bottom line.

“The most expensive car we have built was €174,000 for a person that had a spinal injury and was paralysed from the neck down.

“They could drive from their powerchair, into the vehicle, and off they go – it’s bordering on airplane technology at that point.”

Barry says they cater to both people born with a disability and those who have acquired one. “We might have someone who has driven for 10, 20, 30 years and had a stroke or was diagnosed with MS, motor neuron,” he says.

“We do assessments on them staying on the road or, in some cases, taking them off the road. Thanks be to God it doesn’t happen too often; the majority of people we do assessments on, we can keep them on the road in some shape or form.”

Barry says learning to drive can be an “emotional experience” for those with a disability.

“If you get someone who has a severe disability, they could be very restricted in what they’re able to do, depending on someone else transporting them from A to B,” he says.

“If we can teach someone to drive, we can give them their independence; they can socialise, get a job and become their own person who doesn’t depend on someone else.

“It can be a very emotional process for them and there are times we will see people at their most vulnerable.”

Barry began instructing those with a disability how to drive in 1998 – the first person in the midlands to do it.

“I was originally a normal instructor but I had friends and a family member with a disability so I looked into doing it and did a couple of courses,” he says.

“Then I got in touch with the IWA and we got a car into Mullingar, there were others around the country but this was the first in Westmeath and the midlands.

“We’ve put a lot through the test and got a lot on the road since then – people who might never have had the opportunity to do so before.

“We will never guarantee to be able to get someone on the road but we’ll make a damn good effort of it and give it our best shot.”

Barry says the IWA also provide other supports such as help for passengers with a disability, VAT exemptions for adaptations, and further guidance.