Toyota Safety Investigation Finds No Electronic Flaws
The Obama administration has announced its findings following a 10 month investigation into safety concerns related to unintended acceleration in Toyota cars and trucks and found no electronic flaws which could have caused the reported safety issues. The government reported that the problems were due solely to the already widely publicized issues of sticky accelerator pedals and gas pedals which got caught up in floor mats. Reports suggest the investigation led by the Transportation Department was extremely thorough, yet I can’t help but feel somewhat skeptical - maybe it’s the personal injury lawyer in me. Call me cynical, but given that the investigation was conducted by the same organization which approved the vehicles as safe to be on our roads in the first place, it’s not likely they would turn around and admit they made a mistake in the first place, is it?
That said, I do think that Toyota did the right thing by orchestrating the mass recall after these defects first came to light (since 2009 they have recalled more than 12 million vehicles worldwide), but I am sure these recalls were at the urging of the government. The bottom line is that this should never have happened in the first place and I for one do not think they should be let off the hook so easily. Let’s not forget that despite the government’s findings, there is still a pending lawsuit which claims Toyota ignored the acceleration problems and failed to install a brake override system which could have prevented countless accidents. Real answers come from these lawsuits—not from a government which is charged with safety standards. I don’t trust federal government investigations. Way too ineffective.
We are an automobile nation and here in Dallas-Fort Worth we know that far too many traffic wrecks occur on a daily basis as it is. We buy our vehicles trusting in the automaker that they have done their job correctly and that our new car works and that it is safe. Unrelated to this investigation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is considering new regulations designed to improve safety across the board. Their proposals include requiring brake override systems on all vehicles, standardizing keyless ignition systems and mandating event data recorders akin to aircraft black boxes on all new vehicles.
If you have been injured as a result of an auto collision it is advisable that you contact an experienced Car Accident and Wrongful Death Attorney. The Anderson Law Firm offers a no fee consultation on your case and can be contacted 24/7 on 1-800-354-MARK.
