Shifting Into Park

In emergency situations, knowing how to handle a vehicle appropriately can distinguish catastrophe from a close call. With malfunctions such as sudden unexplained acceleration becoming more visible in public awareness, drivers need to prepare themselves for the absolute worst situations. If a driver loses control over their vehicle, especially in regards to acceleration or how the engine is contributing to the vehicle, it is essential to understand what will safely stop a vehicle. Some drivers have become confused over this issue, however. Unwilling to shift into neutral or park for fear of destroying their transmission, these drivers have been forced to take less effective measures to deal with sudden acceleration.

Unlike their predecessors, modern models of motor vehicles will not effectively destroy a transmission if drivers shift into park to stop their vehicle during sudden acceleration malfunctions. As some drivers may be afraid of the sort damage done to their vehicle by shifting gears into park, the reality of most modern transmissions is that a car put in park while moving will actually go into neutral. This is done in case a driver accidentally shifts into park, but works well for emergency situations as well.

If a driver is using an older motor vehicle, the problems of gear shifting become more dangerous. While new vehicles avoid transmission failure, older vehicles do not have these safety mechanisms in place. Instead, shifting into park in these vehicles will absolutely rapidly decelerate a vehicle, as it will actually act as if parked. As a result, the stress on the transmission, in particular, will result in massive damages to the system, and will probably require extremely expensive repairs.

In either case, either damage is done or not, it is still preferable to most to stop rapid unexplained acceleration, even at the cost of extensive repairs. To learn more about this terrifying malfunction, contact a sudden acceleration attorney.

If you or someone you know has been injured because of an unexplained acceleration malfunction, contact the Toyota sudden acceleration attorneys of Habush, Habush & Rottier, S.C. today to learn more about your rights and options under the law.