NHTSA Complaint #10568056 — 2009 ACURA RL

MY HUSBAND DROVE ONTO A SLOPED DRIVEWAY (UPHILL) AND LEFT THE CAR RUNNING, GOT OUT AND RANG THE DOORBELL TO OUR DAUGHTER'S HOUSE TO SEE IF ANYONE WAS HOME. THEY ANSWERED THE DOOR AND HE CAME BACK TO THE CAR AND MOTIONED FOR ME TO GET OUT OF CAR AND COME INTO HOUSE. HE REMEMBERED HE HAD LEFT THE CAR RUNNING, SO AS I GOT OUT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, HE REACHED IN AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. I TURNED TOWARD THE BACK OF CAR TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE BACK SEAT. THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WAS STILL OPEN ALL THE WAY. THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARD DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, I TRIED TO RUN BUT THE DOOR HIT ME KNOCKED ME FACE DOWN ON THE ASPHALT OF THE STREET, AND THE BOTTOM OF THE OPEN FRONT DOOR SCRAPED OVER ME, ABRADING MY HEEL, BACK, AND LACERATING MY HEAD. WHEN MY FACE HIT THE ASPHALT, MY TWO UPPER FRONT TEETH GROUND INTO THE ASPHALT, BOTH HANDS TRYING TO BREAK MY FALL, AND BOTH KNEES CRASHING ON THE STREET SURFACE. I SUFFERED FRACTURES OF BOTH UPPER INCISORS, A 1 INCH LACERATION TO BACK OF SCALP, SPRAINED R THUMB, ABRASIONS OF BOTH HANDS AND BOTH KNEES. I PROCEEDED TO HAVE A RATHER SIGNIFICANT ASTHMA ATTACK FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTERWARD AND I THOUGHT I HAD ASPIRATED SOME OF THE TOOTH FRAGMENTS THAT BROKE OFF. I SPENT 3 HOURS IN ER GETTING CHEST AND ANKLE XRAYS AND GETTING THE LACERATION STAPLED. THERE WAS NO WARNING SIGNAL AND NO CLUE THAT TURNING THE ENGINE OFF WOULD LET THE CAR ROLL WHEN IT HAD STAYED STABLE WHEN ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THE CAR CONTINUED BACKWARD ACROSS THE STREET AFTER ROLLING OVER ME AND ENDED UP ON THE LAWN OF THE NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET. IT SEEMS THERE SHOULD BE A WARNING SIGNAL OR SAFETY MECHANISM TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM BEING TURNED OFF IF IT IS NOT IN THE PROPER GEAR OR IF HAS SOMEHOW POPPED OUT OF PARK. *TR