Why didn't the people who wrecked their Toyota because of a stuck accelerator just put the car in neutral?

Unfortuntately, this is one case where art imitates life.

You see people in movies have something similar happen, and they go all crazy, screaming and freaking out, and totally lost in the fear and panic of possibly crashing and dying.

I was lucky to learn from example earlier in my life, that when something weird goes on with the engine or tranny, to immediately shift into neutral, because I don't want the engine or tranny to seize up and suddenly stop the car, or in this case, to suddenly accelerate beyond control. And it has served me well a couple times in my life.

But this is a prepared attitude and action. You actually have to decide to do this, to practice it, and plan for it. Most people don't. They just get into their cars and drive, even very safe drivers. They never expect some weird freaky thing to happen to suddenly throw them into near disaster situation.

Just like sitting on railroad tracks at a stoplight. Never do it. There are MANY roads in America where a stoplight is right on one side of a RR track, so people are lined up at the light over the tracks, and then a train comes barreling down the line, smashing people who are stuck in line and can't get out. You make the decision ahead of time to NEVER sit on tracks.

The point I find hard to believe is that the mat got over the gas pedal. Older American cars nad the pedals so that they'd almost sit on the floor, the bottom of the pedal rested on the floor, and it pivoted as you gave more gas. But modern cars have the pedal off the floor, so there's a space there.

Modern auto transmissions do not shift into certain gears at high speeds. If you suddenly shift into reverse or park at high speeds, the gears are travelling so fast that they cannot engage. So it takes the car and tranny to slow down, until the tranny will then slip into gear, and then yes, you'll suddenly stop the car. But I did that to my car at only 5 mph, slammed it into park, and it wasn't able to get into gear at that low speed, so it'd be even harder at 60 mph.

So unfortunately, these people are suddenly thrown into an uncontrollable speed, and are too fearful and panicked to be able to think clearly enough to merely shift into neutral and gently brake to a stop. And it's lessons like this that do help us to change designs to prevent similar occasions (see the 1960's movie "Fate is the Lonely Hunter--it's excellent!!) and also it makes it sad that the people it happened to didn't have proper training to protect themselves in such a disaster.

Take for example the little girl of a Congressman who died in a hot tub, and suddenly, there's federal law requireing that there's fencing around swimming pools to prevent little kids from falling in and drowning.

First, theirs was a hot tub, nothing to do with swimming pools. And because it was a hot tub, the little girl had to climb up into it, so the Congressman's family was negligent THEMSELVES in protecting their daughter. But their failure now costs the rest of america with needless regulations that we didn't need.

it has the fast potential of doing so. if it is in gear and the accelerator is stuck, and then you take it out of gear, that then allows the engine to rev to it's max, or at the limiter

What's really stupid is that I had a '97 Honda recalled for the same reason. They put a gourmet in the mat & a stud in the floor to hook it on. The repair must have cost them $5. And who hasn't had a floor mat that hasn't slipped. You think they'd learn.

If the car was put in neutral, technically the governor should catch it because the RPMs will shoot straight up and shut the engine off, I think (?), or just the engine could blow up and the computer would kill the fuel. And it was a tragedy so nobody should be blamed, but I'm not sure if he was driving but one of the occupants was a law enforcement officer, who I'm guessing should have known what do to in a car in an emergency situation.

Of course, it's always easier to say what you would do in an emergency than when you abruptly find yourself in one.

Yes it is called stupid to the greatest degree. it was your fault as you cannot put in neutral as you run through the gears and as far as shutting off you have screwed the computer and all is your fault.

he probably suicided and took his whole family with him, he faked the gas was stuck. u never know what people is capable of.

Some people don't think that fast.

Thats why they bought a Toyota. They're stupid.

better stick to american vehicles where the accelerator doesn't stick