Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA)
Instances of stuck accelerator pedals have become increasingly frequent over the past few years. Tragically, many people have been seriously injured or killed in runaway car accidents. Though the exact cause of the sudden accelerations, or engine surges as many call them, cannot be determined in every case, there is increasing evidence that various manufacturers have failed to install reasonable fail-safe systems that would prevent such accidents from occurring in the first place.
Our attorneys are currently investigating sudden acceleration accidents and if you or a loved one has been injured by a vehicle with a stuck accelerator, or a vehicle that “surged” out of control and could not be stopped, we encourage you to talk to one of our crashworthiness attorneys. Please call the Law Office of D. Hardison Wood to speak with a North Carolina sudden acceleration attorney today. 1-877-829-7211.
Toyota vehicles have recently been in the news for several rounds of recalls related to stuck accelerator pedals. Initially, Toyota stated in technical service bulletins that the electronic throttle could be the source of the accelerator pedal remaining depressed. However, over the last few years, Toyota has stated that the cause of these accidents was more than often a result of a floor mat causing the accelerator pedal to stick. In the last few months, Toyota has recalled over 5 million vehicles and suspended sales of some their most popular models. The fixes they have proposed have ranged from floor mat tethering to recalibrating their accelerator algorithms.
What to do if your car suddenly accelerates?
Many of us were taught in driver’s education that if your car suddenly speeds up, it is likely a result of the cruise control, and so we were trained to tap our brakes. Additionally, if our brakes didn’t stop the vehicle, we were trained to pump our brakes to increase their power. Unfortunately, relying on this training in a stuck accelerator situation can be deadly. If your vehicle suddenly surges and the accelerator pedal seems stuck, follow these steps:
- Never pump your brakes. Depress and hold the brake firmly.
- Shift the vehicle’s engine to neutral.
- Continue to depress the brake pedal firmly and coast to stop.
- Immediately power off and exit the vehicle safely.
If your vehicle is affected by a recall notice, please bring your vehicle in immediately for the fix. If, after the fix, you are still concerned about the vehicle’s safety, please don’t hesitate to contact our office to discuss your potential warranty claims.
Text NCLAW to 46786
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