The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and NASA released a report following a ten-month investigation into the Toyota unintended acceleration cases that came to light in 2010. According to the report, the unintended acceleration incidents results occurred because of two causes: either “sticky pedal” or pedal entrapment. When these situations occur and create an unintended acceleration incident, the report indicated that even the “brakes could lose their ability to stop the vehicle.”
Though this problem has existed for several months, it continues to create problems for Toyota owners. Just last week, in fact, the company recalled an additional 2.2 million vehicles. The vehicles included in the new recall include:
– RAV4 from 2006-2010;
– 4Runners from 2003-2009;
– Lexus LX 570’s from 2008-2011;
– Toyota Highlanders from 2004-2006; and
– RX 330, RX 350, and RH 400H from 2004-2007.
The obvious problem with unintended acceleration and sudden acceleration cases, of course, is that a driver has to unexpectedly navigate an out-of-control vehicle that is continuing to gain speed. And this is occurring regardless of the surrounding circumstances, such as whether the car is located on a public thoroughfare, in a crowded area, or in another place that could cause disastrous results. Given the catastrophic results that could arise from a sudden or unintended acceleration case, it is important you follow the guidelines contained in the NHTSA report and to make sure your vehicle is serviced in the event you own one of the covered Toyota vehicles.
For a legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer, call 434-817-3100
Robert E. Byrne, Jr., the author of this post, serves as the managing attorney of the Charlottesville and Harrisonburg law firm of MartinWren, P.C., where he is a member of the Virginia Personal Injury Lawyers group and the Charlottesville Personal Injury Lawyers group, Civil and Commercial Litigation, and Intellectual Property sections. Bob and Jonathan Wren have experience handling automobile defect cases and offer free consultations for individuals who have been injured in automobile accidents, trucking and tractor trailer accident cases, or for workplace injury cases, defective product cases, and catastrophic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and burn cases. Please contact Bob or Jonathan at (434) 817-3100 to learn more about MartinWren, P.C.’s services.
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