We often hear this comment in accident news on TV, or in YouYube videos – “The driver mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake!” There will be no proof offered, of course. We have often wondered these were...

We often hear this comment in accident news on TV, or in YouYube videos – “The driver mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake!” There will be no proof offered, of course.

We have often wondered these were random opinions, or were they actually true. So we did a bit of research and found that..

Yes, people make this mistake quite often!

There is very little data available, of course. But when some tests were conducted, it was discovered that pressing the accelerator instead of the brake pedal actually happens to some people. Some available accident data from the US also validates this theory.

A study done in North Carolina, in the United States of America, has found that around 16,000 accidents are reported each year because of this driver error. The study also stated that these types of car accidents cause harm to pedestrians, bicyclists, and even buildings. Here is the study on pedal misapplication by drivers.

Frequency of Pedal Errors

According to recent estimates concluded by the University of North Carolina and the Highway Safety Research Center, around 16,000 car accidents occur annually due to pedal errors, translating to an average of 44 crashes every single day. The study stated that this is believed to be a conservative estimate. It stated that the data is limited to incidents with police reports and where drivers admit to the mistake. This means that there are a lot more accidents caused by this error which go unreported due to little to no damages.

If we take India, it is highly likely that the situation would be the same, or worse. This kind of very specific information on causes of accidents are not even collected by investigators in India. Even if it is reported, there would be no statistics available.

Young people, old people and women?

As per the study, certain demographics are more prone to making such pedal errors. It stated that very young novice drivers and also elderly drivers are statistically more likely to commit these mistakes. Surprisingly, the study has also revealed that nearly two-thirds of all pedal error accidents involve female drivers.

Causes of Pedal Errors

As for the root causes of this problem of pressing the accelerator instead have been attributed to tight pedal placement, and transition mistakes when switching between the accelerator and brake. Another one of the major reasons behind this has been stated to be foot slippage from the brake to the accelerator pedal. Additionally, simultaneous pressing of both pedals, and inappropriate footwear like high heels, wide shoes or flip-flops further increase the risk of this driver error.

Where and When It Happens

Now coming to the most common places where these types of accidents can take place have been reported to be parking lots. The study reported that the staggering 77 percent of reported cases occurred in these parking spaces. Additionally, driveways have also witnessed a significant number of such incidents. The remaining accidents take place at intersections and highway exit ramps, areas where distracted drivers may transition between pedals while navigating their surroundings, said the study.

The study also cited a possible explanation for the above-mentioned gender disparity as the fact that women tend to drive more frequently in parking lots, where these accidents commonly occur. Additionally, the physical size of female drivers may pose challenges in reaching pedals comfortably, potentially contributing to the higher occurrence of pedal errors, stated the report.

For older drivers, the reasons could be cognitive impairment and reduced motor control, both resulting in increased reaction times in some cases, and the foot landing on the wrong pedal in other cases. For very young drivers, lack of experience and brain development could be factors.

Does this happen in India as well?

While we do not have data, we have seen many such reports in the media. You would also remember drivers who took delivery of new cars hitting the wrong pedal in showrooms, leading to accidents. While this study was done in North Carolina, USA, it is a very common error that people across the globe make. There is no reason to think that India is an exception to the phenomenon. Though when it comes who the demographics of the drivers involved, we believe young drivers (and inexperienced drivers) are the main group – as ageing drivers and women drivers both do not exist in high numbers in India.

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