A JERSEY teenager has refused to let his physical disabilities hold him back and has passed his driving test.
Adam Dalton (17), who was born with a rare condition called congenital limb deficiency – which means his arms and one of his legs did not fully form – gained his licence last weekend.
His motto is ‘no hands, no limits’ and he has already achieved success on the golf course, where he regularly hits drives of more than 200 yards and wins competitions.
‘It feels absolutely amazing,’ he said. ‘I can’t believe the day has come when I passed – it all seems so unreal.’
Mr Dalton’s quest for a driving licence began nearly three years ago when he was 15. His mother, Juliette, contacted DriveAbility Jersey, an independent charity founded by Pam Evans to help those with physical disabilities, older people, or neurodiverse individuals to drive and maintain an independent lifestyle.
The initial step was an assessment by specialists in the UK, who advised that Mr Dalton needed a left-foot gas pedal and an extension on the indicator stalk. They also recommended a specific Mercedes car which has a voice-activation feature and required fewer expensive adaptations.
Mr Dalton said: ‘If anyone is unsure about driving, whether it’s because of anxiety or disability, just give it a go. With the right professional guidance and support you may shock yourself.’
After passing his theory test, Mr Dalton got behind the wheel of DriveAbility’s dual-control car.
‘He was a natural,’ said Fiona Herivel, the driving adviser at DriveAbility who taught Mr Dalton.
‘He’s been driving golf buggies for years, so he just wanted to get going. He had 12 hours of tuition and practised with his mum nearly every day. It wasn’t long before we said, “let’s get you a test booked”.’
Mr Dalton said: ‘DriveAbility have been such great support. They’ve been with us on the journey right the way through and it would have been a bigger and longer journey without them.’
But the journey has not been without its roadblocks, including the £40,000 in funds that he needed to raise so that he could purchase, adapt, and maintain the car that was suited to his needs. Unlike the UK, there is currently no government support in Jersey for drivers with disabilities, although in certain circumstances tax will be taken off when importing a specially adapted car from the UK.
Mr Dalton’s family and friends helped him to set up a JustGiving page, and there were golf events at Les Mielles to boost his cause.
In August 2022, his friend and amateur golfer Scott Mills completed the 48-mile Island Walk with a bag of golf clubs on his back to raise money.
‘I was lucky to have the support of the wonderful people of Jersey. For every penny donated I am so grateful.’
Having a driving licence will enable Mr Dalton to become more independent.
‘I can now make my own decisions on where I want to go and when I want to go out.’
As he uses a wheelchair, he has never been comfortable taking the bus, and it was ‘completely impossible’ if he needed to take his golf clubs with him.
Mr Dalton said: ‘I was in a difficult place a few years ago but golf has given me a goal. I hope one day that golf is included as a sport in the Paralympics and that I’m good enough to be selected.’
