Hospital elevator (motor vehicle)
A hospital elevator is a motorized wheelchair under driving license law .
history
The Road Traffic Licensing Regulations defined by 31 December 1998 wheelchairs as "according to the type for use by physically infirm or disabled persons specific motor vehicle with more than two seats, a curb weight of not more kg than 300 and determined by the design speed (bbH) of not more than 30 km / h ". If the bbH was more than 10 km / h, a class 5 driving license was required to drive an hospital elevator.
With the introduction of the EU driving license classes, there was no longer a requirement to have a driving license for patient elevators.Instead , an inspection certificate for patient elevators was required for driving patient elevators with a maximum speed of more than 10 km / h , analogous to the moped test certificate . At the same time, the hospital elevator was redefined in that only one seat was permitted and the permitted speed was reduced to 25 km / h. This was supposed to prevent misuse, but this took place nonetheless, with numerous manufacturers producing motor vehicles and having them registered as hospital elevators for legal purposes. These vehicles were particularly attractive for people who otherwise could not obtain a driving license, especially since the Federal Administrative Court ruled that according to the then new law (from July 1, 1999), non-disabled people can also use patient elevators. Due to their low speed and insufficient acceleration, these vehicles represented a great danger in road traffic.
The legislature felt compelled to act and introduced new, stricter rules for wheelchairs on September 1, 2002. Since then, according to Section 4 (1) sentence 2 point 2 FeV, these may only be equipped with an electric drive, the permissible total weight is limited to 500 kg and the width may not exceed 110 cm, at the same time the maximum speed was reduced to 15 km / h. The test certificate for patient elevators was omitted. Due to the regulations on the safeguarding of vested rights in § 76 point 2 FeV, wheelchairs may continue to be moved under the old law; this also applies to wheelchairs from the GDR .
Current regulations
The Driving License Ordinance (FeV) defines the ambulance lift as a single-seated motor vehicle with an electric drive, designed for use by physically handicapped people , an empty weight of no more than 300 kg including batteries but without a driver, a permissible total weight of no more than 500 kg , a BBH of not more than 15 km / h and a width over all of a maximum of 110 cm . Elevators as defined by FeV can be used without a driver's license; they also do not require a license. If the maximum speed is greater than 6 km / h, patient elevators are subject to insurance and must have an insurance number .
According to Section 24 of the Road Traffic Regulations, patient elevators may be used on sidewalks and other paths open to pedestrians (e.g. pedestrian zones ) at walking speed . Like pedestrians, they have priority at pedestrian crossings .