Woodmere, NY – For years before a bunched-up floor mat apparently caused a motorist to lose control of his gas pedal and careen into a storefront Hanukkah party in Woodmere, mat problems have been blamed for crashes across North America.
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And floor mats that are poorly designed, improperly used or both have triggered recalls for at least a million vehicles over the past 25 years.
In Thursday’s crash, which injured eight children and six adults, Nassau police say the mat in Theodore Saretsky’s BMW X3 got caught below the brake and above the gas pedal. As Saretsky struggled to press the brake, he inadvertently accelerated into the party, running over families celebrating the fourth day of Hanukkah, police said.
All BMWs, including the X3, come with mats with Velcro that firmly fastens them to the floor, BMW spokesman Tom Kowaleski said last night.
Police yesterday did not return calls on what kind of floor mat was in Saretsky’s vehicle and whether it was properly fastened.
Investigators do not expect Saretsky to face criminal charges, police said. Saretsky, 76, a psychologist, didn’t return messages left at his office or his home in Atlantic Beach yesterday. He was treated at a hospital and released Friday.
The injured children ranged in age from 1 to 8. Updates on the conditions of the injured were not available yesterday. Two children had been in critical but stable condition at Nassau University Medical Center on Friday, while Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola has released its three patients, all children under 5.
Floor mats from a variety of makers have led to driving problems. In some cases, pedals have stuck to the mats. In others, the mats interfered with one or more pedals.
Whatever the obstructions, misplaced mats can imperil driving.
Take these 2006 incidents:
In Kennewick, Wash., a 100-year-old motorist suffered head and arm injuries when his car crashed into a ditch after the floor mat got wedged on the gas pedal.
In Montreal, a boy was hospitalized and his sister died after their mother lost control of the car. Police say the floor mat was the likely culprit.
In Warwick, R.I., a truck flew down a hill and through the wall of a living room when a shifting floor mat gave the driver the ride of his life as he tried to back out of a parking spot.
Floor mats can be especially troublesome when they’re not properly fastened to the vehicle as directed.
After at least 12 people nationwide were injured when their vehicles accelerated without warning, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration organized a 2007 recall of all-weather floor mats used in 2007 and 2008 Lexus ES 350 models and Toyota Camrys of the same years, according to the safety agency.
Tips for floor mat safety
From AAA:
Always buy floor mats specifically designed for your vehicle. “You want to make sure that it’s cut to fit your floorboard,” said AAA spokeswoman Christie Hyde. “That way, it has the eyelets in the proper location to connect to the hook in the floorboard.”
Especially during winter, make sure the floor mat is securely in place, not bunched up. If you notice the mat is out of place while you’re driving, pull over ASAP and fix the mat.
Never put a towel between a mat and the floor. Even though the grips on the bottom of the mat can dig into the vehicle floor and cause slight cosmetic damage, they’re designed to prevent the mat from slipping.
If you can’t brake, in most situations, it’s best to put your car into neutral.
i dont use floor mats for this reason
Good article, although it’s sad what happened.
Folks, check mats – especially after going to a full service car wash that includes vacuuming. Also, the article is correct by saying custom made mats for your car. There are several companies that make customized rubber mats for your vehicles. This is important because a lot of drivers want heavier rubber mats to protect the carpeted ones. Your heels, mud, snow, water, dirt, sand, etc. can ruin the carpeted mats. But a lot of the cheap rubber ones are losse fiting.
1, I agree, the car wash employees often just throw them in, a ggod lawsuit will scare them into being more carefull.
2, If you feel your engine is accelerating you can slip into neutral, it will not damage your car.
I once crashed because of a floor mat in a volvo that had slipped upwards over time and stopped me from braking. floor mats in the drivers seat are a true danger I know from my own experience, they should be banned.
My car has buttons and hooks for the mats – now I know why 🙂
yeah. blame anyone but the driver.
the care of the car is the duty of the driver. if you buy mats, it is still your responsibility to ensure that they are properly in place.
it’s like blaming the hot spilt coffee on McDonald’s.
I too have had floor mats that bunch up and I make sure to straighten them out before driving. I have replaced the mats a few times already. This is something that needs to be done.
Are the police saying this is what happened or is this just legal posturing?
“In Kennewick, Wash., a 100-year-old motorist”??????
Water bottles rolling around on the car floor are equally dangerous.
Clean car is a safer car
velcro? that is ridiculous.
velcro does not stay put