Is it possible that your car can crash even when you are exercising reasonable caution and did not make any mistakes? It does not happen often, but it is possible. Vehicle malfunctions can be a contributing factor in traffic accidents. They can fail to prevent a preventable crash, such as when the driver applies the brake appropriately but it disengages, or they can worsen the injuries resulting from the accident, such as if the airbags fail to inflate.
If you tell a police officer that you did not step on the gas, but the car accelerated despite you, the officer might chalk it up to one of the more far-fetched stories one hears in a law enforcement career, but certain models of vehicles have been known to malfunction in this manner. How much fault a driver bears for an accident caused by his or her own vehicle malfunctioning varies according to the details of the case.
If you were injured because someone else’s car malfunctioned, you might have a case against the driver or the car manufacturer, and if it was your own car that malfunctioned, the manufacturer might be liable. For help filing a claim related to an accident arising from a vehicle malfunction, contact a Santa Fe car accident lawyer.
Truck Accelerated by Itself and Struck Pedestrian Before Crashing Into Building
In January 2025, a pickup truck accelerated without warning in the parking lot of a Walgreens store. It struck a pedestrian before hitting the wall of the store. The pedestrian was trapped under the truck until first responders were able to get him out; he was hospitalized in critical condition when news reports about the accident were published. The driver and passenger of the pickup truck suffered minor injuries that did not require hospitalization. None of the customers or employees inside the Walgreens were injured. No one received criminal charges in connection to the accident.
How Does Unintended Acceleration Happen?
Unintended acceleration is a documented problem in some models of vehicles. For example, it has occurred in Ford pickup trucks; the earliest model year for which there are reports of this problem is 2004. The car might accelerate disproportionately to the pressure the driver applies to the pedal, and in some cases, it accelerates even when the driver’s foot does not touch the pedal.
As for liability, it depends on whether the driver could reasonably have known that the car was at risk of unintended acceleration. If the model of the car has no prior reports of unintended acceleration, the manufacturer is probably liable. If the manufacturer knows about the problem and has issued a safety recall notice, it is the vehicle owner’s responsibility to take the car to the dealership and get the possibly faulted part inspected or replaced.
Contact Slate Stern About Car Accident Lawsuits
Slate Stern is a personal injury lawyer who represents plaintiffs injured as a result of car accidents. Contact Slate Stern in Santa Fe, New Mexico, or call (505)814-1517 to discuss your case.
Sources https://abqraw.com/post/pickup-crashes-into-walgreens-critically-injuring-pedestrian/
Photo by Alex Chernenko on Unsplash