NHTSA Complaint #11099569 — 2017 POLARIS SLINGSHOT

ON MAY 5, 2018, I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I WAS LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING THE STREET WITHIN SPEED LIMITS AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER 2ND GEAR. THE GAS PEDAL FELT STRANGE WHEN I DEPRESSED IT, SINCE IT WENT TO THE RIGHT. JUST THEN THE VEHICLE SPUN TO THE LEFT AND HIT A PARKED VEHICLE, REPEATEDLY. THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING, AFTER EVERY IMPACT AS IT WENT FORWARD TOWARDS THE PARKED CAR. THE PARKED CAR SUFFERED MULTIPLIED IMPACTS TO THE DRIVER FRONT, FENDER, DOORS, AND REAR AS THE SLINGSHOT KEPT ACCELERATING AND HITTING IT, BOUNCING OFF EACH TIME, ONLY TO ACCELERATE AND FURTHER RAMMING THE VEHICLE. THE SLINGSHOT FINALLY STOPPED HITTING THE PARKED CAR ONLY AFTER THE FRONT LEFT TIRE/SUSPENSION BROKE. AFTER I HAD MY INJURIES CHECKED, I WENT BACK TO VISIT THE VEHICLE WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE GAS PEDAL HAD SHIFTED TO THE RIGHT OF ITS ORIGINAL POSITION. AS A RESULT, THIS CREATED A WEDGE BETWEEN THE GAS PEDAL WITH THE TUB FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THIS MAY EXPLAIN WHY THE SLINGSHOT WAS ACCELERATING, EVEN AFTER I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE PEDAL. I HAVE PHOTOS AND WILL GET THE POLICE REPORTS, PLUS ANY WITNESS STATEMENTS, IF ANY; BUT I DO NOT HAVE IT AT THE TIME OF SUBMISSION, SINCE I AM USING A WORK COMPUTER. I WILL SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS REQUIRED. ALSO, IN THE ACCIDENT, THE SAFETY BELT DID NOT HOLD ME IN PLACE AS THE SLINGSHOT REPEATEDLY HIT THE PARKED VEHICLE. UNFORTUNATELY I DID NOT TAKE ANY PICTURES OF THE SEATBELT. *TR