NHTSA Complaint #10421832 — 2010 FORD EXPEDITION

ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY 27, 2011, BETWEEN 8:30 A.M. AND 9:00 A.M., I TOOK MY 2010 FORD EXPEDITION TO THE FOUNTAIN CAR WASH IN PLANO. UPON EXITING THE CAR WASH TUNNEL, I SHIFTED THE TRUCK FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE, IDLED SLOWLY OUT OF THE TUNNEL AND AROUND THE HAIRPIN TURN TO HEAD TO THE BACK OF THE BUILDING WHERE CAR WASH EMPLOYEES DRY VEHICLES BY HAND. IN THE DRIVEWAY AHEAD OF ME WAS A BLUE FORD EXPEDITION. ONCE AROUND THE TURN, I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR TO MOVE THE TRUCK FORWARD. AS SOON AS I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, THE ENGINE RACED, I HEARD THE TIRES SKID AND THE TRUCK LURCHED FORWARD FAST OUT OF MY CONTROL. I IMMEDIATELY PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKE WITH BOTH FEET, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE. MY TRUCK WAS GOING TOO FAST TO STOP AND IT REAR-ENDED THE BLUE TRUCK. AFTER THE IMPACT, I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY TRUCK IN PARK, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND GOT OUT TO CHECK ON THE PASSENGERS OF THE BLUE TRUCK. THE LADY DRIVER OF THE BLUE TRUCK GOT OUT TOO. I ASKED THE LADY DRIVER IF SHE WAS ALRIGHT. SHE OPENED THE BACK DOOR TO HER TRUCK AND I SAW TWO GIRLS IN THE BACK SEAT. I ALSO ASKED THE LADY IF HER CHILDREN WERE OKAY AND SHE SAID THEY WERE. THE LADY DRIVER OF THE BLUE TRUCK AND I WENT TO THE BACK OF HER TRUCK TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE. THE TRUCKS WERE FAR ENOUGH APART FOR US TO STAND BETWEEN THEM. HER TRUCK HAD SCRATCHES AND THE TAILGATE WAS DENTED. THE FRONT END OF MY TRUCK WAS DAMAGED FROM THE IMPACT AND THE TRAILER HITCH ON THE BLUE TRUCK. AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THE DAMAGE, I HEARD A LOUD MOAN COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BLUE TRUCK. I WALKED OVER AND SAW ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES, A LADY ABOUT MY SIZE, ON THE GROUND BETWEEN THE BLUE TRUCK AND THE CURB. TWO OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE TRYING TO HELP HER. AT THAT MOMENT, THE MANGER OF THE CAR WASH CAME AROUND THE CORNER TOWARD US AND I TOLD HIM TO CALL 911. THE EMPLOYEE WAS CARE FLIGHTED TO THE HOSPITAL