Toyota to Recall 3.8 Million Defective Floor Mats

Toyota is set to recall 3.8 million vehicles in the U.S., the company announced in a press release on Tuesday. The floor mats on the affected models may interfere with the accelerator pedal, causing the accelerator to become stuck while the vehicle is in operation. A stuck accelerator can result in high vehicle speed, which may cause the operator to lose control of the vehicle and crash. A California crash that killed three people last month has been attributed to defective Toyota floor mats. Owners may begin receiving notifications of the recall as early as next week.

According to the press release, the following Toyota and Lexus models will be affected by the recall:

• 2007 - 2010 Camry
• 2005 - 2010 Avalon
• 2004 - 2009 Prius
• 2005 - 2010 Tacoma
• 2007 - 2010 Tundra
• 2007 - 2010 ES350
• 2006 - 2010 IS250 and IS350

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported over 100 incidents in which floor mats in the affected Toyota models caused the accelerator to stick. Owners of vehicles equipped with the defective floor mats are encouraged to remove the floor mats from the vehicle and refrain from installing replacement mats until the company remedies the problem.

If you have been injured in an auto accident caused by a product defect, contact the Seattle accident attorneys at Peizer, Richards & Ziontz at (206) 682-7700 to discuss your case. Our Seattle accident lawyers handle personal injury and auto accident cases in Alki, Ballard, Beacon Hill, Bellevue, Bothell, Brighton, Broadmor, Broadway, Fauntleroy, Fremont, Georgetown, Green Lakes, Hazelwood, Kenmore, Kirkland, Laurelhurst, Madrona, Medina, Mercer Island, Metum, Midlakes, Queen Anne, Rainier Beach, Redmond, Renton, Richmond Beach, Shoreline, Wallingford, and Yarrow Point. Our Seattle accident lawyers offer a free initial consultation in all auto accident cases.

Hit-and-Run Bus Accident Injures 5

Five people were injured when a Clallam County transit bus was hit head-on by a pickup that was fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run accident. The crash happened on U.S. Highway 101 near State Route 112, just west of Port Angeles at around 6 p.m. on Tuesday. According to the Washington State Patrol, a man driving a Ford pickup truck sideswiped a Jeep and fled the scene of the accident. About a mile and a half down the road, he crashed into the bus, which pushed a Geo Metro off the road and into a ditch. Five people - the driver of the pickup, the bus driver, and three passengers on the bus - were injured in the crash. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries reported.

Buses are not equipped with safety features, such as seatbelts and airbags, that are standard on other passenger vehicles. That is why even the most minor accident has the potential to cause serious injuries. If you have been injured in a bus accident, the odds are that it was caused by someone else’s negligence. You should seek the advice of a Seattle accident lawyer immediately to preserve your legal rights and seek compensation for your injuries.

If you have been injured in a bus accident, contact the experienced Seattle accident lawyers at Peizer, Richards & Ziontz at (206) 682-7700 to discuss your case. The injury lawyers at Peizer, Richards & Ziontz handle personal injury and auto accident cases in Seattle, Alki, Ballard, Beacon Hill, Bellevue, Bothell, Brighton, Broadmor, Broadway, Fauntleroy, Fremont, Georgetown, Green Lakes, Hazelwood, Kenmore, Kirkland, Laurelhurst, Madrona, Medina, Mercer Island, Metum, Midlakes, Queen Anne, Rainier Beach, Redmond, Renton, Richmond Beach, Shoreline, Wallingford, and Yarrow Point. Our Seattle accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay a fee unless you receive monetary compensation in your case.