Mobility
Stability leads to confident, controlled, safer driving. The CG-Lock is the biggest advance in seatbelt technology since the inertia reel belt.
For most types of disability, the CG-Lock will lead to a more stable, confident person in any vehicle using standard seatbelts.
The CG-Lock was originally designed to assist the control, comfort and stability of performance car drivers, and these benefits are now available to many disabled drivers and passengers.
Performance drivers spend a lot of unwanted effort keeping upright in the seat during hard cornering and braking. The CG-Lock eliminates this need to brace elbows and knees during spirited driving, so drivers can get better results from their cars by concentrating on driving, not ‘hanging on’. The CG-Lock ensures instant feedback from the car and this is important to improve reaction times and therefore performance. These benefits are directly transferable to many disabled drivers, who want to improve their stability (and therefore control and confidence) for regular road driving.
Once in place it allows the user to tightly secure their pelvis via the lap belt, whilst still allowing full upper body mobility.Disability Product News
For many, the freedom of the road is just a dream because body instability leads to ‘turn right, fall left’ with limited control of the car resulting in not ‘making the grade’ to safely drive a modified vehicle on the roads. For certain types of disability, the CG-Lock will change all that and get many people back behind the wheel, stabilised and full of confidence to drive safely… giving you the freedom of the road.
A simple and ingenious device, the CG-Lock is manufactured from high quality stainless steel components and is installed in just a few minutes, with no drilling or damage to the standard factory fitted seatbelt. It is fully removable in seconds.
The CG-Lock does all we thought it would IF the client has a normal spinal structure. Where someone has full contact with the seat back it REALLY works. It has been used right across the age range and helps with back pain, seating balance (re: spinal injuries and amputees), and stable point of reference (conditions where coordination is an issue e.g. Cerebral Palsy).Andrew Ellis Fleet Supervisor and Driving Assessor at the Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation Mobility Centre
When in the driving position the hips become ones centre of gravity. With the CG-Lock fitted you are held tight in the car seat, with 80% of the driver control and feedback of a race harness (as verified by Circuit Driver & British Racing News magazines). Unlike a race harness, the CG-Lock tightly secures only the pelvis. With hips secured, the upper body tends to be secure too.
If you had glued me to the seat it would not have been as good. BLOODY MARVELOUS. A. Freeman Disabled driver, RR defensive & offensive driving course (BAF) certified. Rally driver. LR Disco 300TDI & 406 Executive Est. Auto driver.
So what is the evidence it can help disabled people? “Stability leads to control and from control comes confident, safer driving” says Andrew Ellis, Fleet Supervisor and Driving Assessor at the Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation Mobility Centre. Andrew, a keen performance driver, discovered the CG-Lock when surfing the internet looking for the latest info on track days. He immediately made the connection and thought that the idea of being secured in the seat by the lap belt could really help many potential drivers & passengers who tend to be unstable due to a higher centre of gravity or just less control over the lower body. “I had to email the company right away” Andrew said. Within a few weeks he had some great success stories that were “VERY, VERY encouraging!”.
The CG-Lock has now helped hundreds of people with a wide range of physical disabilities.
One of the first people to try the CG-Lock was Roger who is a bi-lateral above knee amputee. Roger said “I had not been able to drive a car for over 3 years due to having an unstable upper body in a moving vehicle… but as soon as my hips were secured, I was able to drive again, liberating me from 3 years of no driving! I am sure this little device will help lots of people like myself”.
It stablises me on the car seat. It is a very powerful device for ensuring my comfort.Roger Bi-lateral above knee amputee
Another success story came from Amy who has Cerebral Palsy (CP) which affects her ability to walk and hence drives with hand controls. The CP also affects her balance and fine control of her movements. In a very short space of time Amy was very impressed with the CG- Lock and found that she felt much more in control and secure.
For those who have problems staying upright, this product can be a great deal of help and can make it much safer to ride in the vehicle. It can also make it much more comfortable.Mike Burks International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet (US site) Staff
Amy said “After trying a seat belt fixing (of the CG-Lock) it made me realise how many times I can become unbalanced while driving everyday. At first it felt peculiar to have the seat belt tighter around my seat but once I started driving it was not noticeable, I found it easier than usual to make turns because I felt comfortable in my seat and did not need to worry about my legs or hips twisting”. Andrew added “It really does help with getting stable in the car…and from stability comes confidence. We are still testing the CG-Lock to get a better idea of which kind of disability will gain the most benefit from the CG-Lock, but the results so far are very encouraging. For individuals with certain types of disabilities, the CG-Lock can make a huge difference”.
For enquiries on whether the CG-Lock can help you, contact your nearest Forum of Mobility Centre, telephone: 0800 559 3636.
For people with normal curvature of the spine, the CG-Lock also helps create and maintain correct driving posture, eliminating lower back ache, a common problem for many drivers and passengers.
Customer feedback
"I have a Motability Honda Jazz with hand control adaptation: since having the CG lock fitted I find that I sit more securely in my seat and am more in control of the steering hand ball, have more confidence with the push pull and have a lighter touch on the controls which is less tiring." Alison Wood, October 2007
"Since I was 18, I always felt like I was driving on ice and had limited control of my car. Even just riding was a pain. Now, with the CG-Lock, I have control, feel safer and more comfortable. I don’t fall over anymore." Doug Heir, Esq.
Doug is an Attorney, Past President National Spinal Cord Injury Association, 67 time National Champion, a 32 time Olympic, Paralympic, & World Champion, Winner Of More Gold Medals Than Any Man On Earth, motivational speaker, & author.
