Another 'elderly driver' incident

[BTB 500]

Picking my son up from primary school yesterday we saw a small hatchback wrapped round a tree. Ambulance plus two fire engines, lots of activity. The bizarre thing was that it was in a tiny car park ... couldn't figure out how it possibly got up enough speed to do such damage.

Anyway ... turns out it was an 83 year old lady driving an automatic, guessing it was another 'pressed the accelerator rather than the brake' incident?

Firefighters free elderly lady from car after collision with a tree | Bracknell | News | Bracknell News

Obviously a very sad incident but it sounds like she is OK. Lucky it was only a tree she hit though.

 

[grober]

Perhaps that should read Another Toyota Sticking Accelerator pedal incident!
2009?11 Toyota vehicle recalls - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
One comprehensive study failed to find any electronic vehicle fault but accidents were attributed to sticky accelerator pedals and floor mats that trapped the throttle in an open position and drivers hitting the gas when they thought they were hitting the brake, so called “pedal misapplication.”
Oh What a Feeling! Study Pins Accleration Blame on Drivers - Law Blog - WSJ

That said it still implies that the driver / accelerator pedal / floor mat ergonomic layout might make this a more likely scenario in some cars than others?

 

[balge]

Yay Mercedes fire-engine!