Toyota Recall Put Into Perspective

Toyota has long been considered a safe, reliable brand of automobile. There are tons of them on the road, and a good chance there is one in your garage right now. Are you a Toyota owner who is worried about the recall? Perhaps you own a different make of vehicle but are worried that a Toyota with an uncorrected gas pedal will come slamming into you when you're driving? If so, you are misdirecting your worry according to and article by Leonard Evans.

Says Evans:
Seventy years of scientific research has shown that what drivers do behind the wheel is the dominant factor in traffic deaths. Speed, for example, is a critical factor in safety. An almost imperceptible reduction in speed from 52 mph to 50 mph cuts the risk of being killed by 15 percent. That's more than the risk reduction from airbags. So if the prospect of a sticky gas pedal alarms you, just slow down a little. The result will be that you are safer with the defect than you were without it.

Human error plays a part in nearly all crashes. The problem isn't necessarily a sticky gas pedal, but the fact that a driver who is going too fast and following too closely doesn't have the time and space to deal with such a problem when it arises.

What to do?

If you have a Toyota and you're concerned about the recall, check this website for up-to-date information.

No matter what car you drive do the following:

• slow down
• increase your following distance
• keep distractions out of your vehicle

Simple, lifesaving information. Stay safe out there!