In recent San Diego car accident news, an off-duty California highway patrol officer and his family died in a car accident when the accelerator on their Lexus rental car got stuck on faulty floormats.

Tragically, officer Mark Saylor of Chula Vista, his 45-year-old wife, Cleofe; their 13-year-old daughter Mahala Saylor and the officer’s brother-in-law, 38-year-old Chris Lastrella, all suffered wrongful deaths in the fatal car accident.  Our car accident lawyers know that design defects are one of the top causes of car accidents.  If only car manufacturers would spend more time worrying about potential defective products that can cause you harm.

In response to this tragic car accident, Toyota is now ordering all of its dealers to conduct inspections of all Lexus and Toyota cars after an investigation into the cause of the crash found the wrong floor mat was installed in the loaner Lexus car.  The inspections are going to cover all new, used, and loaner cars.

UPDATE: Toyota has issued a recall for its defective accelerators.

“We urge all other automakers, dealers, vehicle owners, and the independent service and car wash industries to assure that any floor mat, whether factory or aftermarket, is correct for the vehicle and properly installed and secured,” Toyota Motor Sales USA said.

Investigators with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the all-weather floor mat that was found in the car accident wreckage of the 2009 Lexus ES 350 was a couple of inches longer than the mat that belonged in the car and could have interfered with the accelerator.

Car accidents from design defects often cannot be prevented.  That is why it’s so important that your car has the correct auto insurance policy.

If you or a loved one are involved in a fatal car accident, hiring our experienced car accident lawyers and wrongful death attorneys can help ease any pain and suffering you may be going through.  We can also help you pay your medical bills and reach a settlement that helps you recover lost wages due to your injury.

Please contact us for a free consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer — we speak both English and Spanish — at (800) 655-6585.  Click here and you may also submit your case for a Free Review.  There is no fee if no recovery.

About Michael Pines

Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.