‘Sudden Unintended Acceleration’: What to know if you find yourself in this dangerous situation
(InvestigateTV) — Imagine a vehicle hurtling down the highway at more than 100 miles per hour, and the driver is powerless to stop it.
While it is rare, it can happen.
In 2024, a video of a “runaway car” went viral thanks to its capture on police dash cameras. Watch this footage in the video at the top of this story.
Officers were on the phone with the driver, trying to stop the car before the rural Minnesota road came to a dead end.
What happened to this vehicle? It is known as Sudden Unintended Acceleration.
Reporter Heather Graf takes an in-depth look at how these incidents happen.
What To Do If You Face This Dangerous Situation
Jake Fisher is the Senior Director of Auto Testing at Consumer Reports. He says this issue has been on his radar for years.
One high-profile example he points to is when Toyota, back in 2009 and 2010, recalled millions of vehicles in connection with unintended acceleration.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety istration eventually traced the Toyota problem to “sticking accelerator pedals” and floor mats “that enabled accelerator pedals to become trapped.”
Yet no matter the make or model, Fisher says sudden unintended acceleration remains a concern today.
Whether it’s from a mechanical issue or a software glitch in the car’s computer, or even a pedal mix-up by the driver, he believes the best defense is to get familiar with your car long before any emergency.
“Cars are becoming more and more complicated and difficult to understand,” Fisher said. “So if you’ve never put the car into neutral, learn how to.”
“Everyone should arm themselves with knowing how to use their cars the best that they really can,” he continued.
As an example, Fisher says, pressing the power button once on most modern vehicles won’t turn off the car while it’s in drive.
Check your owner’s manual, he adds. In many cars, holding the power button down for at least three seconds should shut down the engine.
“The hardest thing is not to panic.”
Fisher’s biggest piece of advice, for anyone in a “runaway car” situation, is to avoid pumping the brakes – and instead, hold steady pressure.
“Do not pump the brakes, because if you do that, you can lose your power assist.”
Consider ing an Attorney
Separate from the 2024 “runaway car” case in Minnesota, InvestigateTV+ also spoke with personal injury attorney Brian Chase, who says he gets multiple calls each year from people who say they experienced Sudden Unintended Acceleration.
“Cars are just all electronic,” Chase said. “We’ve got so much electronics in vehicles now that can malfunction, that we’re not necessarily going to be able to track down. We know it happens, though.”
Chase told our investigators that in some cases, he can find hard proof of vehicle malfunctions versus driver error.
“Sometimes you can find some inconsistencies in the black box readout that will help you point the finger to an electrical malfunction as opposed to operator error,” Chase continued. “But it’s frustrating when I can’t prove a defect.”
Chase recommends ing an attorney if you have been in one of these incidents.
If you suspect your car may have a safety defect that isn’t part of a current recall, the National Highway Traffic Safety istration.
Complaints can be submitted online or via phone at 888-327-4236.
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