As most of you probably already know, Toyota is issuing a massive recall of 3.8 million vehicles due to the possibility of floor mats causing the throttle pedal to stick, resulting in unintended acceleration. There have been multiple incidents, plus an earlier recall, but a fatal accident in CA in which 4 people were killed seems to have driven Toyota to take stronger measures.
NHTSA Releases Additional Details on Accident that Prompted Toyota Floor Mat Recall - Lexus Reports
What I find interesting -- and frightening -- is that a combination of factors may have led to the fatal crash:
- stuck accelerator
- gated automatic shift lever
- pushbutton ignition switch
The driver was an off-duty police officer, so ability to react under stressful situations should have been good; indeed, he called 911 while driving the vehicle. Also, driving skills would have to be assumed to be higher than the norm, because officers receive special training in high speed handling and evasive maneuvers. What investigators are looking into is if the combination of factors was too much for even a competent, non-panicking driver to overcome.