Imagine pressing on the gas pedal while driving your car and having it stick. While this situation sounds like a nightmare, it is a very real problem that has caused over 4 million vehicles to be recalled by Toyota Motor Corp.
This massive recall followed a fatal car accident that claimed the life of a highway patrol officer and three members of his family. The family was traveling in a Lexus and was speeding at 120 mph. The Lexus hit a sport utility vehicle, flew off an embankment, flipped numerous times and caught on fire. A family member had called 911 to frantically report that the accelerator was stuck and that the driver could not stop.
After an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it was determined that a rubber all-weather floor mat found at the accident site was a little longer than the mat that was supposed to go in the Lexus and could have snared or covered the accelerator pedal.
There have been at least five deaths and two injuries linked to floor mats and unintended acceleration in vehicles manufactured by Toyota. The government has received reports of over 100 incidents in which the accelerator pedal may have become stuck.
To fix the problem, Toyota dealers will shorten the length of the accelerator pedal on the recalled vehicles and if needed, will take out the foam beneath the carpeting near the pedal to increase the amount of space between the pedal and the floor. There is also a plan to install a brake override system on the Camry, Avalon and Lexus ES350, IS350 and IS250.
According to a press release by the NHTSA, the models being recalled include 2007 to 2010 MY Camry, 2005 to 2010 MY Avalon, 2004 to 2009 MY Prius, 2005-2010 MY Tacoma, 2007-2010 MY Tundra, 2007-2010 MY ES 350, 2006-2010 MY IS 250, and 2006 to 2010 MY IS 350.
If you have been injured in a Florida car accident caused by a defective auto part, you may be entitled to compensation. For more information, contact an experienced Orlando car accident attorney at the Law Offices of Lilly, O’Toole & Brown, LLP at (863) 533-5525.
