NHTSA Complaint #10339944 — 2007 TOYOTA COROLLA

THE AUTOMATIC GEAR SELECT COVER IS CHROME IN THE S MODEL TOYOTA COROLLA AND DURING NOONTIME HOURS WHEN THE SUN IS HIGH, THE COVER REFLECTS THE SUNLIGHT AND REFLECTS INTO THE EYES. AT 1:00PM, THE SUN WAS REFLECTING OFF OF THE CHROME COVER. AS I ATTEMPTED TO COVER IT WITH A PAPER BAG, MY FOOT CAME OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE CREEP OF THE VEHICLE CAUSED A COLLISION WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT AT A STOP SIGN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME SUCH AN ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED. THE FIRST TIME WAS ALSO DURING THE SUMMER AT 1:15PM 2 YEARS AGO WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO COVER THE GLARE WITH MY BACKPACK. SINCE THAT INCIDENT, I HAVE ALWAYS BROUGHT A HAT THAT I USE TO COVER THE CHROME GEAR SELECT COVER. ON THIS DAY, HOWEVER, I HAD FORGOT TO BRING MY HAT WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE GLARE SHINING DIRECTLY INTO THE EYES. THE CHROME GEAR SELECT COVER IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT CAUSES DISTRACTIONS AND VISIBILITY ISSUES. *TR