NHTSA Complaint #10894265 — 2015 CHEVROLET SPARK

I WAS DRIVING A CHEVY SPARK 2015 TO MY LOCAL SUPERMARKET, LESS THAN 3 OR SO MILES FROM MY HOME. I WAS SEVERAL MILES UNDER THE 40 MPH SPEED LIMIT. I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE OF A TWO LANE ROAD. I COULD SEE STOPPED TRAFFIC QUITE A WAYS AHEAD OF ME ' ALSO IN THE RIGHT LANE. THERE WERE AT LEAST 6-7 CARS IN FRONT OF ME AND A TRUCK IN FRONT OF THE CARS. I COULD SEE THE CARS/TRUCK WERE STOPPED FOR THE STOPLIGHT BUT THEY WERE QUITE A WAYS AHEAD OF ME. THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE LEFT LANE SO I DECIDED TO MAKE A LANE CHANGE AS THERE WAS PLENTY OF ROOM AHEAD OF ME TO DO SO. THE NEXT THING I KNEW I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR AND IT SEEMED TO ACCELERATE AND SLAMMED HARD INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE POLICE OFFICER CALLED TO THE SCENE SAID I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MAKING A LANE CHANGE BECAUSE I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I EXPLAINED TO HIM SEVERAL TIMES THAT I WAS DEFINITELY MAKING A LANE CHANGE BUT I COULD NOT EXPLAIN THE ACCIDENT OR HOW I HAD HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE POLICE OFFICER TOLD ME I MUST HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED. I TOLD THE OFFICER I WAS DEFINITELY NOT DISTRACTED AND WAS VERY AWARE OF MY SURROUNDINGS AND THE OTHER VEHICLES. THE OFFICER AGAIN TOLD ME I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MAKING A LANE CHANGE SINCE I HIT THE CAR STRAIGHT ON. IT WAS ACTUALLY THE POLICE OFFICERS' ASSERTION THAT I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MAKING A LANE CHANGE THAT LATER MADE ME LOOK ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT CHEVY SPARKS. I DISCOVERED DRIVER COMPLAINTS ABOUT STEERING WHEEL LOCKUP AND ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. I WASN'T CERTAIN ABOUT ANYTHING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT EXCEPT THAT IT MADE NO SENSE GIVEN THE FACT THAT I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A LANE CHANGE JUST BEFORE I HIT THE OTHER CAR. HOWEVER, I AM NOW CONVINCED THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF MY CONTROL AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH BOTH THE ACCELERATOR A WELL AS THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP.