While sudden unintended acceleration (SUA) — one that triggered the Toyota recall in 2009-2011 and currently threatens the recall of Mitsubishi’s Montero Sports in the Philippines — rarely happens, it doesn’t hurt to have countermeasures ready. Here’s what you can do when your car takes off.
Hit the Brake Pedal Hard and Steady
As soon your car starts to accelerate, stomp on the brake pedal as hard as you can while keeping a steady pressure on it. You will need all the energy your leg muster as the brakes will require more force than normal. A hard, steady push on the brakes can easily overpower an engine roaring under full throttle. However, the car will not stop instantly. The deceleration will take place slowly, so stay focus and alert and make sure to guide the wheel in order to avoid serious accident. In some cases, a car may stop decelerating at a certain speed. In such an event, the best thing you can do is find a safe spot to crash your car into.
Shift to Neutral
After hitting the brakes, the next step is shifting the transmission to neutral or park. Don’t worry about harming the engine. Most cars these days, especially the automatics are equipped with a piece of hardware called parking pawl designed to lock up transmission.
Switch It Off
When the above steps don’t work, your last resort is switching off the ignition. This is a sure-fire way to license the engine and put the vehicle to a halt. The problem with this, however, is that it makes the car more difficult to maneuver as it may cause a loss in power-steering assist as well as increase the brake-pedal pressure. So, focus and do your best to pull your car off the road. Call a tow truck and make sure to have your vehicle checked before driving it again.
Sudden unintended acceleration can happen to you anytime. Make sure to always drive prepared for any panic situation that may arise.
