NHTSA Complaint #10593315 — 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

MY CAR WAS DECELERATING IN THE FAR RIGHT TURN LANE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION. THE BRAKE HAD BEEN APPLIED APPROXIMATELY 1000 FT FROM THE INTERSECTION AS THERE WERE 3 VEHICLES STOPPED AHEAD OF ME. I WAS TRAVELING AT 10 MPH AND I INCREASED THE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AS THE CAR APPROACHED A STOPPED VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AHEAD OF MY VEHICLE. THE ENGINE REVVED TO THE HIGHEST RPM READING AND LURCHED FORWARD AS I CONTINUED TO APPLY FULL PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BY ADDING MY LEFT FOOT TO THE ALREADY STATIONARY RIGHT FOOT. I STEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT AND DROVE ON THE SIDEWALK AND GRASS BETWEEN A BURGER KING AND AUTOZONE PARKING LOTS TO AVOID HITTING THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME. I SHIFTED THE GEAR SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND THE ACCELERATOR DID NOT DISENGAGE. I WAS NEARLY STANDING ON BRAKE AS THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WITH THE ENGINE SCREAMING FROM THE HIGH RPMS. I STRAIGHTENED THE CAR'S PATH TO AVOID A PARKED VEHICLE IN THE AUTOZONE PARKING LOT. I JUMPED A CURB ONTO GRASS AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNTIL CRASHING THROUGH A CINDER BLOCK WALL SUPPORTING THE AUTOZONE SIGN. THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT WHICH ENGAGED THE ENGINE KILL SWITCH. WHILE STILL STANDING ON THE BRAKES, MY CAR TRAVELED ANOTHER 25-30 FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST. THE DRIVER BEHIND ME CAN CONFIRM THAT I WAS DECELERATING AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS ON AS THE CAR "TOOK OFF" ON ITS PATH TOWARD THE AUTOZONE SIGN. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND I RECEIVED NECK, SHOULDER AND CHEST INJURIES FROM THE IMPACT. I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE CAR ON MY OWN. *TR