A study commissioned by the agency found that accidental engagement of the accelerator pedal causes approximately 16,000 preventable accidents each year on US roads.
Such accidents are said to occur when a driver steps on the accelerator when intending to apply the brake, steps on both pedals at the same time, or when the foot slides off the side of the brake pedal. Most incidents also happen at very low speeds, such a when attempting to park.
“While these crashes can affect all drivers, the study shows that drivers under the age of 20 or over the age of 65 experience pedal error crashes about four times more frequently than other age groups,” the agency notes.
Perhaps not coincidentally, the NHTSA recently cited pedal error when it closed an inquiry into allegations of unintended acceleration with the Toyota Corolla. The investigation concluded that a surge in complaints of defect behavior were actually related to drivers’ mistakes.
“Investigations … have not identified any vehicle defects that can cause sudden failures of both the throttle and braking systems and have attributed these complaints to pedal error by the driver,” the advisory adds. “Drivers who believed they were applying the brake in such incidents were often mistakenly applying the accelerator instead.”
The agency recommends properly adjusting seats, avoiding distractions and making a habit of aiming for the middle of the brake pedal every time it is used.
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