Author: Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP
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As technology moves forward and new innovations emerge, drivers need to adjust to design changes. The keyless ignition is an innovation that some drivers have not gotten used to, which could be dangerous in an emergency situation. When riding in a new vehicle or rental car, drivers in different makes and models must be knowledgeable about ignition differences. Some cars have push button ignitions and the amount of time required to hold down the button varies. When a vehicle rolls backward because the driver forgot to shift the transmission into park, either because of panic or unfamiliarity, the driver may not hold the push button down long enough to turn off the car.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed standardizing keyless ignitions so that all push button ignition cars would have the same one-half second delay when pushing the button to turn off the car.
According to Bloomberg Businessweek the proposed standardization change arose from an incident where a driver and his family riding in a borrowed Toyota Lexus ES-350 died in a car crash. NHTSA investigated the accident, and along with the Toyota sticking accelerator issue, investigators noted that the car had no warning posted beside the ignition button to indicate you had to hold it down for three seconds to turn off the car.
Legal ramifications
Unsafe automobile features may provide grounds for a lawsuit in the event of a serious or fatal car crash. Brooklyn or Bronx car accident lawyers can provide legal advice and evaluate the prospects of pursuing a case.