NTSB Urges New Pedal Design in Heavy Vehicles
The National Transportation Safety Board has called upon the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require heavy vehicles be installed with technology to prevent unintended acceleration when starting from a parked positio
The National Transportation Safety Board has called upon the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require heavy vehicles be installed with technology to prevent unintended acceleration when starting from a parked position
.
Pedal misapplication occurs when a driver depresses the accelerator instead of, or in addition to, the brake pedal.
The board also urged the NHTSA to analyze pedal configurations in heavy vehicles and study the effect of pedal design on the driving task.
The recommendations came out of a recent Special Investigation Report by the NTSB, which found that pedal misapplication was a factor in five heavy vehicle accidents between 2005 and 2008.
The board investigated five accidents, including a school bus accident that occurred in Liberty, Mo., in May 2005. In all cases, the drivers either reported a loss of braking or were observed by vehicle occupants to be unsuccessfully attempting to stop the vehicles, though no evidence of braking system failure was found.
NTSB also asked NHTSA to publish pedal design guidelines for manufacturers.
For a synopsis of the report, click here.
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