NHTSA Complaint #10482281 — 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY

ON OCTOBER 24, 2012, I PARALLEL PARKED MY 2003 TOYOTA CAMRY ON THE STREET. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WAS LEAVING, SO HE ASKED ME TO MOVE BACK A FEW INCHES SO HE COULD GET OUT. MY CAR WAS STILL RUNNING SO I SHIFTED THE CAR INTO REVERSE, AND AS I BEGAN TO TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL, MY CAR ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AT A VERY FAST SPEED INTO THE CAR BEHIND ME. WANTING TO PULL UP A FEW INCHES TO GET OUT AND ASSESS THE DAMAGE, I SHIFTED THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND AS I DID, MY CAR ACCELERATED FORWARDS INTO THE PARKED CAR IN FRONT OF ME. IT ACCELERATED AT SUCH A HIGH SPEED THAT IT PUSHED THE THREE CARS IN FRONT OF ME TOGETHER. AT NO POINT DURING THESE TWO RAPID ACCELERATIONS DID I EVER APPLY MY FOOT TO THE GAS PEDAL. THIS INCIDENT CAUSED DAMAGE TO SEVERAL CARS AND COULD HAVE ENDED UP WITH MUCH MORE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES HAD I NOT BEEN IN THAT LOCATION. *TR