Eight ways to prevent and stop Sudden Unintended Acceleration

By Jason K. Ang December 23,2015
Unintended acceleration, or "pedal misapplication"? Make sure it's not the latter.

Unintended acceleration, or “pedal misapplication”? Make sure it’s not the latter.

THERE’S been a lot of media coverage (social, responsible, and otherwise) about the incidents rounded up under the dubious heading of “Sudden Unintended Acceleration.” The very name is unhelpful. All car crashes, except for ones deliberately wanted by the driver, can be called “sudden and “unintended,” and all movements of a vehicle can be termed “acceleration.”

That the cause of such a crash can be due to a fault in a vehicle allowing it to surge forward or backward on its own has not been proven. Yet there are physical causes that will result in a car being more susceptible to a crash. These have been documented as well.

Here are some pointers on keeping your car and driving free of unintended acceleration (the ones with an actual cause):

1. Make sure you use the proper floor mats. Stuck accelerator pedals are one of the most prominent causes of runaway vehicles. Use only the factory-supplied, original floor mats for your model of vehicle, or floor mats that have been designed specifically for your car. A different shape of mat may trap the accelerator pedal, and be very difficult to dislodge when the car is at speed.

2. Familiarize yourself with the pedals of your car. How many times have you looked at the pedals of your car? Chances are, unless you’ve once have installed some accessory, it’s once or never. We complacently believe that the gas, brake and clutch pedal are all in familiar positions. In reality, pedals vary in size and position. Some brake pedals are wide and close to the accelerator, others narrow and farther. Take some time to look at the pedals while stepping on them, to see how your foot movement affect the car’s primary controls (of course, do this while the engine in stopped).

3. Always step on the brake when shifting an automatic transmission from “Park” or “Reverse.” The “Drive” position in an automatic transmission can propel the car forward, even if you don’t step on the accelerator. Shifting from “Park” or “Reverse” to “Drive” will immediately get the car moving forward. To eliminate the chance of the car surging when you shift to drive, step on the brake when shifting to “Drive.”

4. Maintain your brakes. The brakes of any car are designed to be more powerful than the engine, and it’s been demonstrated that a full application of the brakes can bring a car, even at full throttle and at speed, to a stop. That is, if they have been properly maintained. The brake fluid, pads and shoes should be inspected and replaced regularly. (That being said, the distance for a full stop can be far too long, and carmakers are being urged to install more safety devices to allow the brakes to be more effective.)

5. Know what to do if you your car surges forward without your intending it to.
• If your foot is on the accelerator, lift it off.
• Apply the brakes with a continuous, strong push on the pedal. Pumping the brakes will bleed off vacuum from the brake booster, making the pedal harder to push. Partially applying the brakes will cause them to fade.
• Shift the transmission into neutral, park, or reverse.
• If your car has an electric parking brake, engage it continuously. In most vehicles, electric parking brakes are designed to allow the passenger to stop the vehicle in case the driver loses control or consciousness.

6. Know how to switch off the engine. This should be obvious, as there’s either a key or a button. As a safety precaution, the button may not switch off the engine immediately. Some cars require a long press (three seconds or more) to stop the engine. Manufacturers and dealers of cars with Start/stop buttons should inform their owners on how to stop the engine in an emergency.

7. If you have doubts about your car’s safety, bring it for a checkup. If you experience something odd about your car’s driving behavior, bring it to the dealer or a qualified mechanic. Have the pedals, the engine and the brake system checked. The dealer or mechanic should have a diagnostic tool that can download error codes from the car’s ECU (engine control unit). This can help detect faults in the car’s systems.

If there’s a recall for your particular model, bring in the car for the repair immediately.

8. Be familiar with features like cruise control before using them. As cruise control can maintain a specified speed and cause a car to crash if not used properly, know how to switch it off.

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