How to stop a runaway Toyota
The Cars Blog on ConsumerReports.org has an excellent video and article on How to stop a runaway car: Don't pump the brakes.
The video, with Jake Fisher driving a Toyota Venza and a Volkswagen Jetta, simulates what happens when a car has sudden runaway acceleration. Mr. Fisher mentions some "do's and don'ts":
Don't:
1) Don't pump your brakes. This will cause your power brakes to go out.
2) Don't try to turn off your car. You risk locking up your steering wheel.
Do:
1) Put your foot on the brake hard, and continue pressing it.
2) Put your car in neutral
3) Once stopped, turn off your car.
Mr. Fisher also recommends first trying the braking procedure in an empty parking lot or other safe location. The Volkswagen Jetta is interesting because it can actually override the gas pedal.
Here's the video:
