So, have you heard about the guy who has been in prison for vehicular manslaughter?

[KramBerries]

I don't know enough about the facts in the original case to be able to comment on them. I will make these general comments, however.

First, if your brakes are so bad that they cannot slow your car down even with a completely open throttle, you have a problem. You shouldn't drive a car with such weak breaks. Car and Driver recently did a test stopping a Toyota Camry driving 70mph with the gas pedal pushed to the floor. The stopping distance was only 16 feet longer than normal and was still shorter than the normal stopping distance of a Ford Taurus. You brakes should easily[ be able to overpower your engine.

Second, anyone given the responsibility of driving thousands of pounds with hundreds of horsepower should at least know the basics about what to do in emergencies. That includes knowing how to disengage the engine from driving the wheels. In a manual, you just push in the clutch. In an automatic, you put the car into neutral. It's not hard. It's not complicated. It will not cause your steering to lock. Your engine will not immediately explode. Once you have the car in neutral, use your brakes to stop it. If your brakes have failed, use your parking/emergency brake.

None of this is to trivialize the problem of unintended acceleration. Even the best of drivers will require a bit of time to realize that something is amiss and to respond to the situation. Car makers should take resonable precautions to make sure that their cars do not accelerate beyond what the driver wants.

It is also important to put these events into perspective. Toyota makes a lot of cars. Very, very few have had problems with unintended acceleration. The insurance companies keep detailed statistics on cars and accidents so that they can charge appropriately risk weighted premiums. Whatever faults cars like the Toyota Camry may have, they do not appear to be more dangerous overall than similar cars. If they were, they would be involved in more accidents and be more costly to insure. I would gladly drive a Toyota Camry that is well maintained over driving another car that underinflated tires, has poorly maintained brakes, is driving by someone talking on their phone, or is a < 2,000 car.

 

[mkel34]

Aren't the newer cars "brake by wire" aka computer controlled. I would assume a 1997 toyota would be a more manual system, whereas hitting the brake pedal would manually put pressure to the brakes via a hydraulic system. I'm no mechanic but would like someone more knowledgeable on the subject to chime in.

 

[brockash]

If you fail to avoid the car racing to 90 MPH by not shifting into nuetral, sorry, you were negligent in your actions and ability to control a motor vehicle. So yes, I would agree he should be charged with negligent homicide.

Call me crazy, but I'm guessing if a car started excellerating on its own, I'd imagine the person behind the wheel is probably a little confused, a little panicked ect. (especially with their own pregnant wife and dd in the car) and it may not dawn on them in the moment that putting the car in nuetral would somehow override what the car is mysteriously doing Even if it were my family that got killed in the accident, if it came out that it was the car that wouldn't stop ect., I really can't imagine that I would be able to justify putting any blame on the person that was behind the wheel if they were not impaired in any way.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

About 20+ years ago, DH were dabbling in collectible cars. We (I) test drove a car that looked just like the one in "Christine" and when we got it out on the expressway, it surged while I was driving! I thought it was possessed, just like Christine! The brake did work, however, and I rode the brake just to keep from going faster. Needless to say, we left Christine at the dealership.

 

[linda0706]

Even if it were my family that got killed in the accident, if it came out that it was the car that wouldn't stop ect., I really can't imagine that I would be able to justify putting any blame on the person that was behind the wheel if they were not impaired in any way.

Good Morning America did a story today about this. They interviewed the family of those killed, who said that if the car was the problem they think he should be freed or given a new trial. There are links to the video on GMA's website.

 

[Art 1]

Good Morning America did a story today about this. They interviewed the family of those killed, who said that if the car was the problem they think he should be freed or given a new trial. There are links to the video on GMA's website.

Yes, the family has changed it's tune. Now they can/will go after Toyota.

 

[ZeitgeistDuck]

I had an old oldsmobile that used to do that when I was in college. I ended up selling it because it scared the you know what out of me. One of my moms did it too, and she got rid of it. It never went very fast, but once you put it in drive, it would just go. You didn't even need to step on the gas.

Well, I'm really glad you sold it to someone else, then, hopefully they're alive an unhurt.

 

[N.Bailey]

I saw this not too long ago and feel everyone should watch it.

What to Do if Your Car Accelerates Out of Control
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/RunawayToyotas/video?id=8980024

I hope the guy received a full acquittal ASAP! I hope others have charges expunged from their records and receive full restitution as well.

 

[Sonya]

Just an aside, and I didn't watch the video, but something someone here said reminded me of something. I knew a girl in college that lost her brakes, and in her panicked state (curve coming up) she pulled the emergency brake. She rolled several times and had a totaled car to pay off and many scars as souvenirs. I'm not a physics major but for a car to be going 90mph and then hit the emergency brake to make you go 0mph is not going to work.

 

[swkmom]

If you shut off the car it will lock-up, never have heard of a vehicle locking the steering if in nuetral, ever.[/QUOTE]

My car will not steer in neutral, the only reason I found out was because somehow I accidentaly knocked it into neutral going down a large curvy hill. I have a VW Passat (that I do not like).

 

[Squirlz]

Aren't the newer cars "brake by wire" aka computer controlled. I would assume a 1997 toyota would be a more manual system, whereas hitting the brake pedal would manually put pressure to the brakes via a hydraulic system. I'm no mechanic but would like someone more knowledgeable on the subject to chime in.

Many newer cars have "throttle by wire", but brakes are still the old tried and true hydraulics. Brakes (unless worn out) will always bring a car to a stop no matter what. You do have to have your wits about you to know what to do though.

 

[Bluestars]

I think why this story strikes a cord with me, is that my van did exactly what they are saying the Toyota's are doing. Yet, it was a Ford, not part of any recall. So even if they find his 96 Camry is not affected by the recall, I think the same mechanical failure could have happened to him as an isolated incident.

My In-laws had a Hyundai XG350 and this happened to them. The car crashed and they both were hospitalized. They did not sue though. Although we urged them to say something, they just let it go. This happened about 5 years ago.

 

[tinatark]

I saw a professor on ABC news tonight - Toyota has to be in deep poop over this - he forced (electronically) the car to accelerate out of control - supposedly a "code" registers in the computer to make the techs know what repairs are needed - when he stopped - no code. Who knows how long this has been going on. He said even knowing what was going to happen, he panicked when the car accelerated as it did.

Makes me wonder, a few years ago, probably 4-5 years ago, one of my neighbors (elderly lady) was in an accident - she said her car - a Camry-just accelerated and she couldn't stop it. At the time, I was thinking she was just elderly,a little disoriented. Now I wonder if it was this.

Geesh, and our son is about to get his driver's license - he has a 2004 Solara.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Many newer cars have "throttle by wire", but brakes are still the old tried and true hydraulics. Brakes (unless worn out) will always bring a car to a stop no matter what. You do have to have your wits about you to know what to do though.

I'm sorry, but I am telling you, when this happened to me, the brakes did not stop the car. It happened 3 different times and each time, when the car was accelerating on it's own, I had the brakes pushed as hard as I could, the car just kept going. I don't know how else to explain it. The man we are talking about kept saying the brakes would not stop the car. Other people who have had this happen have said the brakes would not stop the car, so there is something to it that makes the brakes not work.

To the people who say the man is responsible even if the car had a mechanical failure, because he should have known what to do...yeah right! Until you are in that situation, you don't know how you will react. He was travelling at 90mph, and the brakes were not working..he had his family in the car, I think he may have been panicked and not thinking in his right mind. I know how I panicked in the few seconds I was in that situation, only I was on a rural road with no other traffic. Who knows what I would have done if I was at a busy intersection or something.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

My car will not steer in neutral, the only reason I found out was because somehow I accidentaly knocked it into neutral going down a large curvy hill. I have a VW Passat (that I do not like).

I have never heard of this, ever. This is coming from a person who has two mechanic brothers.

The reason you lose power steering when you shut the car off is that the power steering system is a pump, driven in part by the motor running. Neutral doesn't disengage the engine or the pump, thus power steering is not effected, ever.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

To the people who say the man is responsible even if the car had a mechanical failure, because he should have known what to do...yeah right! Until you are in that situation, you don't know how you will react. He was travelling at 90mph, and the brakes were not working..he had his family in the car, I think he may have been panicked and not thinking in his right mind. I know how I panicked in the few seconds I was in that situation, only I was on a rural road with no other traffic. Who knows what I would have done if I was at a busy intersection or something.

I didn't say he was guilty of Murder in the 1st, rather negligent homicide for his inaction. He should have taken action before the car hit 90, even at full throttle my Turbo'd Volvo doesn't jump from a safe speed at 65 - 70 on the highway to 90 instaneous, it require some effort and it would give you a fairly significant amount of time to react. If you're in a more urban area, its even more time because you wouldn't be going 65 - 70 to begin with (or shouldn't be).

Driving is a responsibilty, failing to take full ownership of the responsibility is being negligent.

 

[SandrA9810]

It's very easy to think you'd know how to react in a stressfull situation. But once you get into that situation, everything you know goes out the door.

People like paramedics and firefighters I'm sure have "freak out" moments those first few calls. But since they're in that kind of enviroment consistantly, they can act in a proper way and make good decisions.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

If you're in a more urban area, its even more time because you wouldn't be going 65 - 70 to begin with (or shouldn't be).Driving is a responsibilty, failing to take full ownership of the responsibility is being negligent.

Unless the car you're in accelerates to 90mph on it's own, then you don't know what the hell is going on, and you are stomping on the brakes and they are not working.

If everyone was a perfect driver that knew what to do in every situation, we would not have any accidents. Too bad we don't live in a perfect world. I don't think this man should be in a jail cell if the car he was riding had a mechanical failure and accelerated on it's own. He did everything he could think of in those moments to try to stop the car and nothing was working. If he was out of his mind with panic, it's not his fault he couldn't think of any other way to get the car to stop beyond stomping on the brake.

 

[LilyWDW]

Unless the car you're in accelerates to 90mph on it's own, then you don't know what the hell is going on, and you are stomping on the brakes and they are not working.

If everyone was a perfect driver that knew what to do in every situation, we would not have any accidents. Too bad we don't live in a perfect world. I don't think this man should be in a jail cell if the car he was riding had a mechanical failure and accelerated on it's own. He did everything he could think of in those moments to try to stop the car and nothing was working. If he was out of his mind with panic, it's not his fault he couldn't think of any other way to get the car to stop beyond stomping on the brake.

But they need to prove it.

While the story the man gave sounds very similar to the current issues with Toyota's, this was a vehicle from 1996 and the older cars do not fall within the problem vehicles. Do I think he deserves to have the case looked at? Yes, but I do not believe we should just believe his story BECAUSE of a possible unrelated issue.

He was convicted, which means the jury found him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Do juries get it wrong sometimes? Yes, but that doesn't mean this HAS to be one of those times. Were any issues found with the vehicle at the time of the trial? Was the vehicle even examined?

Like I said, maybe the case should be looked at... but that does not mean he is telling the truth.

 

[Bluestars]

I didn't say he was guilty of Murder in the 1st, rather negligent homicide for his inaction. He should have taken action before the car hit 90, even at full throttle my Turbo'd Volvo doesn't jump from a safe speed at 65 - 70 on the highway to 90 instaneous, it require some effort and it would give you a fairly significant amount of time to react. If you're in a more urban area, its even more time because you wouldn't be going 65 - 70 to begin with (or shouldn't be).

Driving is a responsibilty, failing to take full ownership of the responsibility is being negligent.

I disagree with this. He should not be held responsible because of mechanical failure just because he didn't have the proper reaction. When faced with a life or death situation, many people panic. If the car hadn't been faulty, then he would not have been faced with this situation. The liability rests on the faulty equipment and the manufacturer. It seems that sometimes people like to blame the victim.

Oh, and regarding the story, I think it is more likely that the vehicle had a malfunction than the man was speeding at 90 mph with his pregnant wife. Very few people go 90 mph. I would not put a man in prison unless the facts could be proven that he committed the crime. I feel sorry for the guy and his family.