Runaway cars have made some scary news in recent months and there have been a few thoughts posted about what to do if it happens when you're in the driver's seat. Surprisingly, according to a definitive article and video posted at the Consumer Reports "Cars" blog, many of those ideas are not just wrong, but a couple could actually make things worse.
The number one no-no is pumping the brakes. It turns out that in some car systems this may actual cause the brakes to stop working altogether! Instead step hard on the brakes and hold them down.
The number two no-no is to turn off the ignition. Doing that may inadvertently cause you to loose control of steering. With the engine off you'll for sure loose power steering, making your car very hard to steer; and, if you accidentally turn the key too far you might actually lock the steering wheel, making it impossible to steer at all!
Instead, stomp on the brakes and hold them down and then put the transmission into neutral. The Consumer Reports folks helpfully suggest practicing this technique as some modern shifters may actually make it hard to find neutral when you need it. With the car in neutral and your feet on the brakes the car will come to a stop and then you can shut down the engine safely.
If you have a newer car with a starter button, read your owner's manual about how to turn off the car in this sort of situation. There is no standard, but typically it will be to hold down the "Start" button for 3 or 5 seconds.
Check out the video and read the very helpful article here.
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