NHTSA Complaint #10322588 — 2007 TOYOTA AVALON

ON MARCH 19, 2008, MY STEP-SON WAS KILLED IN TAMPA, FLORIDA WHILE DRIVING HIS 2007 TOYOTA AVALON. HE HAD JUST DROPPED MY SISTER-IN-LAW OFF AT THE AIRPORT AND WAS TRAVELING ON THE COURTNEY CAMPBELL PARKWAY WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED. HE EXITED ONTO A SERVICE ROAD, POSTED AT 15 MPH, AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, CRASHING THROUGH A GUARDRAIL AND PLUNGING INTO TAMPA BAY. HE DID NOT GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. WITNESSES SAY HE DID NOT APPEAR TO BRAKE BEFORE HITTING THE GUARDRAIL. NOBODY COULD DETERMINE AT THE TIME WHY THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED; HIS TOXICOLOGY REPORT WAS CLEAR. THE CAR HAS LONG SINCE BEEN SALVAGED SINCE TOYOTA'S ACCELERATION ISSUES WERE NOT PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AT THE TIME TWO YEARS AGO. I RECENTLY RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE ON THE VEHICLE FOR ACCELERATOR PEDAL REINFORCEMENT BAR INSTALLATION. UPDATED 05/10/10 *BF UPDATED 06/17/10. *JB UPDATE 9/27/11*CW