NHTSA Complaint #10523625 — 2013 FORD EXPLORER

I TOOK A 10-MONTH RENTAL ON THIS VEHICLE IN JULY/2012 THRU ENTERPRISE/SANTA BARBARA, CA, WHERE THIS INCIDENT TOOK PLACE. I: LEFT THE CAR CURBSIDE BELIEVING IT WAS IN PARK; CROSSED THE SIDEWALK TO GREET A FRIEND, LEFT THE DRIVER DOOR OPEN; NOTICED THE CAR ROLLING BACKWARD TOWARD A CAR PARKED FURTHER DOWN THE CURB; RAN AFTER THE CAR; GOT INTO THE 'V' BETWEEN THE DRIVER SEAT AND DOOR; KEPT MY LEFT FOOT ON THE STREET - MY RIGHT FOOT IN THE CAR TO HIT THE BRAKE; WAS UNABLE AS THE MOMENTUM AND DOOR PUSHED ME BACKWARD; "RODE" THE CAR BACKWARD WITH 2 HANDS IN THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE, HOLDING MYSELF OFF THE ROAD. THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR RAKED UP THE LENGTH OF MY LEFT SHIN (SCRAPES AND HEMATOMAS) AND FORCED ME TO LET GO. LANDED ON THE STREET, LEFT ARM STUCK UNDER MY BACK. I WAS PINNED BETWEEN THE EDGE OF THE DOOR AND THE ASPHALT AS THE CAR DRAGGED ME DOWN THE STREET. IMPLORED MY FRIEND TO HELP. HE GAVE CHASE AS THE DOOR EDGE CUT ACROSS MY TORSO AS IT DRAGGED ME (TREMENDOUS PRESSURE ON CHEST AND LEFT SHOULDER?LONG BRUISE FROM RIGHT HIP TO LEFT SHOULDER. HE SUCCEEDED WITH DIFFICULTY AS THERE WAS NO POWER TO THE BRAKES. EXTREME PAIN FOR DAYS, COVERED WITH EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL BRUISES. MRI REVEALED A ROTATOR CUFF TEAR IN LEFT SHOULDER. ENDURED MONTHS OF PAIN/LOSS OF MOBILITY WHILE FINISHING PROJECT IN CALIFORNIA. RETURNED HOME TO CONNECTICUT, ENDURED A DIFFICULT ROTATOR CUFF + LABRUM REPAIR SURGERY. FACING MONTHS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY AND A LONG, HOPEFULLY SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY. THIS WAS THE 2ND SUCH INCIDENT WITH THIS VEHICLE, THE FIRST WITHOUT TRAUMA. LUCKY TO COME OUT OF THIS AS WELL AS I DID, I'M TOLD THE NEXT IN SEQUENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TIRE RUNNING OVER MY LEG. I KNOW OTHERS HAVE BEEN DISABLED + KILLED IN SUCH SCENARIOS. PLEASE DON'T NEGLECT THIS GLARING PROBLEM. I URGE THE NHTSA TO DO EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER TO REMEDIATE THIS GIANT LEAP BACKWARD IN VEHICULAR SAFETY. *TR