Brake Failure And The Tragic Death Of Saylors Family
In August 28, 2009, Mark Saylor, a police officer from the California Highway Patrol
was driving a Toyota ES 350 together with three of his family members when the gas pedal got stuck in the floor mat.
After realizing that the accelerator was not working and the car was traveling more than 100 mph, Saylors brother-in-law Chris Lastrella made a frantic 911 call and told the dispatcher about the brake failure.
A minute after the 911 call, the dispatcher heard a woman screaming followed by a loud crashing noise and then total silence.
All the four occupants including Saylors wife and his 13-year-old daughter died in the crash.
Frightening Discovery
After the accident, authorities conducted several investigations and found that the fatal crash was caused by multiple auto part defects.
First, the floor mat extended too long and snagged the accelerator. This finding was not denied by Toyota which immediately announced a massive recall that covered more than 3.8 million cars. The company also ordered its 1,400 dealers nationwide to inspect all the new, old, and rented models which may have defective floor mats.
The second factor that contributed to the fatal crash is the faulty gas pedal design. According to the findings, the pedals lever has no hinge which means that the mat can easily snag the pedal.
Because of this discovery, the carmaker giant said they will also replace the gas pedal to avoid further fatal accidents.
Meanwhile, investigators also found the third factor that contributed to the deadly crash. According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Toyotas brake system loses its power when the throttle is fully opened which may increase the braking distance almost fivefold.
Toyotas Failure to Label a Safety Feature
The Toyota model Saylor was using at the time of the accident has a safety feature that allows drivers to shut down the engine without having to press the brake pedal.
According to investigators, the car has a power button that when pressed for full three minutes, the engine will automatically stop while the car is moving.
However, Saylor failed to use this safety feature which could have prevented the accident.
Previously, some investigators blamed Saylor for not using the power button to stop the engine. But later it was discovered that Toyota did not put an instruction label on the dashboard.
If only the company put the label, many safety experts believe there is a great chance that the accident could have been prevented.
Potential Class-action Lawsuit
According to Los Angeles lawyers, surviving relatives and victims of Toyotas defective cars can file product liability lawsuit against the company. In legal theory, carmakers are generally held liable for accidents, injuries, and deaths caused by their defective products.
by: Nemilou Despuez
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