• 24
  • February
    2010

The recent Toyota recall has alerted the entire country to the dangers posed by sudden acceleration because of trapped gas pedals or electronic malfunction. However, most of the coverage has focused on the consequences of runaway Toyotas, without mentioning how one might stop the car in such a situation.

Recently, Consumer Reports released a quick, five-step guide to stopping runaway vehicles during unforeseen and uncontrollable acceleration. Should you find yourself in this situation, these steps can help you avoid a car accident. 

  1. Apply the brakes firmly, without pumping. It's important that you do not turn off the engine yet, since this would disable power steering and the brakes.
  2. Shift your vehicle's transmission into Neutral. If your car appears to rev up while doing this, ignore it. Your vehicle should have safeguards in place to protect against damage.
  3. As your car begins to slow, direct it to a safe location and ease to a stop. Continue to apply the brakes throughout this.
  4. After your vehicle has come to a complete stop, shut off your engine. Do not shift the car into Park - leave it in Neutral.
  5. Lastly, after you have turned off the engine, you may put the vehicle into Park. After doing this, employ the emergency brake and phone for assistance.

By following these steps, you should be able to quickly and safely bring your vehicle to a complete stop.

Lastly, it is very important that you do not attempt to drive your car after experiencing sudden acceleration. While you may be able to take it to a dealership without further trouble, it is much safer to wait in your vehicle and call for help.