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Video: Stuck Accelerator Takes Teen on ‘Nightmare’ 100 MPH Wild Ride for 90 Minutes

Feb. 26, 2013 8:47am Liz Klimas

A Texas teen who had just come of age to receive his driver’s license was taken on a terrifying ride at more than 100-mile-per-hour speeds after his car’s accelerator became stuck.

The incident, which happened in early December in North Texas, involved a 2011 Hyundai Elantra and 16-year-old Elez Lushaj, who could be heard telling 911 dispatchers in the report aired by WFAA to “please, just do anything” to help him.

Texas Teen Driving Hyundai With Stuck Accelerator Crashes at 100 Miles Per Hour

Elez Lushaj just 16 claims the accelerator of his vehicle got stuck, taking him on a high-speed ride that ended in a crash. (Image: WFAA screenshot)

WFAA News 8 reported dispatchers trying to coach the teen who called them from the road as he was weaving in and out of highway traffic to avoid collisions, unable to slow down. Putting the car into neutral, turning it off, braking — none of it worked.

A police officer was sent after Lushaj to help clear traffic in front of him. In the station’s video report the officer said that even though the teen didn’t have much driving experience, he was doing a fine job keeping the car under as much control as he could.

“He just stayed right on the highway — never tried to get off, never tried to do anything evasive,” Rockwall County Deputy Tom Williamson said. “It’s pretty crazy. Being in his shoes, he did a good job driving.”

(Image: WFAA screenshot)

Williamson’s cruiser dashcam captured some of Lushaj’s wild ride. Watch the report with this footage:

The car eventually was stopped, but it was not a pretty sight. News 8 reported that a semi-truck pulled in front of Lushaj, causing him to lose control and flip in the vehicle four times. He broke several bones in the accident but was conscious when Williamson reached him, according to News 8.

(Image: WFAA screenshot)

News 8 only reported Lushaj’s father calling the whole situation a “nightmare” and noted that the family is considering litigation.

As for what happened to the car itself, it might sound similar to the issue many Toyotas were having that prompted a recall in 2009. Hyundai spokesperson spokesman Jim Trainor wrote in an email to News 8 that it was “extremely unlikely” for all systems to fail at the same time the way it seems they did in this case. He also noted that he hadn’t heard anything of this case prior to the station’s contact.

As News 8 pointed out though, in May last year a similar situation appears to have happened in South Korea. A dashcam captured a car speeding through a city before it crashed — the couple cited a stuck accelerator as the problem.

Here’s that footage:

Last year, Hyundai decided to start inputting a throttle override system into all of its cars.

“With Hyundai’s brake pedal throttle override capability, any brake pedal input by the driver, even with a runaway throttle condition, completely overrides any throttle malfunction,” said Robert Babcock, director of certification and compliance affairs for Hyundai’s technical center, according to Auto Trader. “It is no longer possible to have increasing engine power once the brake pedal is depressed by the driver. This adds a reassuring, incremental safeguard of control for Hyundai drivers.”

Auto Trader also noted a proposal by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that would require throttle override systems in all cars less than 10,000 pounds. The proposal made in April 2012 has not yet been approved.

This story has been updated to correct a typo.

–

Related:

(H/T: Autoblog via Daily Mail)

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Comments (98)

...sam
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:10pm
Hind sight is 20 20 with that in mind the cop could have got in front and used his car to slow him down.air bag would deploy..They had and hour to come up with a solution and one was not used that kid was on his own.

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- wordsofwisdom
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 3:20pm
  People this is BS. All this guy had to do was put the transmission in neutral & turn the engine off then coast to a stop. This is a put up video or one real stupid individual. No the car is not going to suddenly not only get a stuck throttle but keep you from turning it off or putting it into neutral all at the same time. Not possible!
  
  Report this comment
- applehill
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 4:44pm
  They said the kid put the car in neutral and tried shutting the engine off. With todays cars being electronically controlled, it’s not really hard to believe that something in the computer could have went wrong. Some cars even have electronic e-breaks. Electronics have brought cars to a new level of connivence. Unfortunately that also means they have the potential to go amok. Ever have a computer lockup on you and do one task over and over. Seems the same could be true for a car that has a computer control system.
  
  Report this comment
- hillbillyinny
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 9:34pm
  @ wordsofwisdom
  
  I agree with you–neutral, turn off.
  
  If if was the COMPUTER–remove all “computers from cars” that could cause this type of problem!!! When a car can be a death bullet and death trap, retool them!!!
  
  I like older, stipped down versions of cars–cheaper, use less gas and don’t “fail” like this!
  
  Report this comment
- Obama_In_PeePee_By_Zee_ArTeest_Glenn
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 3:50am
  “Video: Stuck Accelerator Takes Teen on ‘Nightmare’ 100 MPH Wild Ride for 90 Minutes”
  
  Already saw that episode on “The X-Files”.
  
  Report this comment
- kchercmech
  Posted on March 3, 2013 at 9:56am
  That’s true APPLEHILL – My transmission has zero mechanical linkages. It is a 6 speed 100% electronic Tiptronic shifting trans. Because it is all electronic it does not work very good after 50k miles and has cost me several hundred dollars to repair – my cost – just parts.
  
  Report this comment
raydav
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:10pm
So “Last year, Hyundai decided to start inputting a throttle override system into all of its cars.” One more electronic function.

I am an electronic engineer and a decent mechanic. I have done ground-up restorations on several old mussel cars and scratch built a street rod. My newest vehicle is an 2001, E350, diesel. That is now considered ancient. But it cost me over $400 in software to read the computer. They are working toward making cars robotic. And that puts them one transistor failure away from disaster. In the meantime, all the added electronic “help” reduces the necessity of learning to actually drive.

My advise to anyone who has one of these would-be robots; a switch in the cockpit to break power at the fuel pump. It is also a good anti-theft device.

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- ACTIONNOTTALK
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 1:46pm
  Right on. I’m an engineer and don’t trust any electronic device. All it takes is one hangover and 1,000,000 shipped products are defective.
  
  Report this comment
- Protoham
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 7:10pm
  I am also an Electrical Engineer, Never, Never, Never trust your life on a computer! I will not own a hybrid car because the only way to make them run smoothly is to let the computer make all the decisions. Of course Hybrids have other problems like the cost of the battery that has to be replaced every so often which ends up costing more than if you just used gas.
  
  Report this comment
- troubble27
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 7:39pm
  I also am a mechanic and shop owner for over 25 years. Even if he couldnt put the car into neutral and shut off the engine, he still could have manually shifted the transmission into low and gradually applied the emergency brake to stop. Theres no way youre going over 25 mph in low gear in a Hyundai. He may have been good at high speed maneuvers, but seriously, this kid did not understand the workings of a car.
  
  Report this comment
- Stone11c
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:36pm
  Pure awesome sauce! Some of our Strykers have two switches, at either end, that do exactly that in the case of an IED hit or a rollover. Unfortuately, with cars good ideas from engineers seem to take a back seat when it comes to a finished product these days.
  
  Report this comment
dodgedart1966
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:02pm
I say bull. Can’t shift it, can’t brake it, can’t shut it off? I wonder if the cops were on him before or after he called 911?
Funny I never run into these types of malfunctions in my ’66 Dodge. I’m the only ‘computer’ that car
has. And it will never have one of those black boxes that I read the gov’t wants to put into all cars.

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- dodgedart1966
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:09pm
  Wasn’t there a movie 20 years ago about this exact scenario? A woman in a Ford Maverick, I believe.
  I didn’t buy that story either.
  And remember. Every dollar the government spends comes from you, the taxpayer.
  So you’ll soon be paying for a new ‘study’ to examine why this happens.
  
  Report this comment
- dodgedart1966
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:11pm
  Look to the right. See that ad “Men over 40, watch this video”? She loves my Dodge.
  
  Report this comment
circleDwagons
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:54am
Cars that can go over 80 mph should be banned.

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- ...sam
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:15pm
  our goverment controlls us enough…..don’t ya think inviting more controll in our lives is counter productive?
  
  Report this comment
- circleDwagons
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:30pm
  If we do not have control than all we have is anarchy
  
  Report this comment
- donwann
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 3:01am
  Circlewagons…..you can let someone control your life. I’m going to live my life how I see fit. I am an ethical, honest, moral, hardworking individual that supports his family as well as grudgingly pays his increasing taxes, so liberals and entitlees like you can have your handouts!!!
  
  Report this comment
raydav
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:46am
Add your comments

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wilbstal
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:42am
What was the drug he was on. was this one of the marijuana free state??? heheheh stupid leftys

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battles
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:12am
He did say: “Putting the car into neutral, turning it off, breaking — none of it worked.”
I am suspicious nevertheless also. If it had been a diesel, then possibly. I had a MCI tour bus run away on me once just after I put it in gear. It was eventually found to be a faulty cruse control that would run the engine up to governor. Even though I had the break all the way to the floor, it took several feet to lug the engine down and kill it. Hitting another bus sitting in front of me might have actually been what stopped it. There was no way to get it out of gear, since it was a stick that was being fully torque by the powerful diesel engine. Such things can happen with a diesel, but most likely not in a gas car.

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- 00100111
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:54am
  If shifting to neutral did not work, then it was not a stuck accelerator. I’m not a Hyundai mechanic, but it seems like a combination issue. A stuck open throttle and transmission not responsive to disengage. Good that Hyundai addressed it, though. Seems like they knew it was a known issue.
  
  Report this comment
wilbstal
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:54am
Buy an American car next time japs cant build anything God is telling you to be American stop being a traitor buying *** junks you asked for it

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- bigkahuna1953
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:36pm
  FYI, Hyundai is a Korean automaker.
  
  Report this comment
- stang289
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:55pm
  American cars all contain Chinese or Mexican electronics . Ford Chevy Chrysler ect. ,
  
  Report this comment
- JustMyOwnOpinion
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 2:00pm
  STANG289 -
  We only have one American car company left — Ford. Chrysler is owned by Fiat, an Italian company, and GM is owned by our government, which is definitely UN-American!
  
  Report this comment
- rich66
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 9:36pm
  South Korea none the less, not those commie bastards up North.
  
  Report this comment
- shabe
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:57am
  gee, God has not said anything to me about buying American. Capitalism is as American is it can get and when American car companies compete with quality and fair pricing and quit taking my tax dollars in the name of bailout money, then I will consider buying American vehicles.
  
  Report this comment
flyingscotsman
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:54am
Put the car in neutral… turn off the car and then apply brakes to stop. All you’d lose would be the power assisted brakes and steering… no big deal. Oh… click the key back to accessory position so the steering doesn’t lock.

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- wilbstal
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:40am
  you are the man and you are correct
  
  Report this comment
- Hermit-The-Crab
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:47am
  From the article: “Putting the car into neutral, turning it off, breaking — none of it worked.”
  
  Report this comment
- duckyack
  Posted on March 2, 2013 at 10:38am
  I’m amazed at these kinds of “instructional” comments. Have you folks not read the article in full, or listened to the 911 call from the boy? This blind conclusion-jumping mentality is a huge part of why this nation is in the trouble it is. People think they know what’s going on–they jump to a conclusion without having all of the facts and the full story–next thing you know, we have firm convictions based upon unreal and phony realities. Human beings can be so stupid and not even realize it doesn’t have to be that way. They self-delude and make snap decisions all for the sake of saving time in an ever increasing fast-paced world. We are all in the same boat with those running themselves straight to hell! Otherwise, it wouldn’t matter to me one iota how much actual truth coincides with what others believe.
  
  Report this comment
wilbstal
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:52am
all Bull here brakes put it in neutral. turn of ingnition switch if on a straight road. This is a stupid story and all Liberal junk all involve here need to be deported ASAP, worse tham Obamas news from the White house

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dont_drive_slow_in_the_left_lane_obliviot
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:50am
WTF is with people? Why didn’t think kdi or someone, anyone, tell him to take it out of gear or just turn it freakin off? How stupid are we, daggum!

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- Hermit-The-Crab
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:49am
  From the article: “Putting the car into neutral, turning it off, breaking — none of it worked.”
  
  WTF is with people? Why didn’t someone, anyone, tell him to read the article? How stupid are we, daggum!
  
  Report this comment
- circleDwagons
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 12:26pm
  Hey HERMIT. We do not believe the story OK Hope the parents and kid learned their lesson. Most 16 year old should not be behind the wheel of a working vehical
  
  Report this comment
- CLEttinger
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 1:38pm
  If it was a stick, push the clutch in and let it blow up. If it was’nt a stick pull the e-brake and let it drag the rear tires (It’s front wheel drive). Any car that wont shut off because the gas peddle is stuck is a death trap. Buy American, or atleast as close as you can get, most “American” cars are from Mexico or Canada. Heck buy the late 60′s early 70′s. More reliable and easier to work on your self.
  
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thetruthlives
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:49am
nonsense. put the car in neutral. step on brake. stop car. what a dope!

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Budrow
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:47am
Smelling a rat here! All systems failed at the same time? What about the miles and miles of concrete barrier along the highway? Why wouldn’t rubbing that barrier bring the vehicle to a halt if nothing else was working.

I would be curious to know who actually owned the vehicle and were the payments being made on time and up to date at the time of the incident? Was the owner gainfully employed? Was the vehicle fully insured? Is there a criminal history?

H-m-m-m-m!

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jungle J
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:46am
neutral ignition…this is a bs article.

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ZontarPrevails
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:40am
WHY DIDN’T HE JUST PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL??????????????????????
PROBLEM SOLVED!
What an idiot.

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- Hermit-The-Crab
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 11:50am
  WHY DIDN’T HE JUST READ THE ARTICLE??????????????????????
  PROBLEM SOLVED!
  What an idiot.
  
  From the article: “Putting the car into neutral, turning it off, breaking — none of it worked.”
  
  Also, don’t yell.
  
  Report this comment
gr8t2bfree
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:35am
Pure BS….

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Jgilman
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:21am
This is why doubling mileage standards is bad.

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lainpa
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:10am
I was driving a Chevy Conversion van on the highway when the accelerator cable broke. When it breaks, you are stuck at whatever speed you were going. For me that was 65mph. I decided to take the off ramp and used the brakes. I was lucky I was not in an accident.

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Liberalismsamentaldisorder
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:05am
Did a great job? Had help on the phone?
Are you kidding me?
TURN OFF THE IGNITION
wow, welcome to America, home to the helpless.

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- MTNative
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:47am
  I was thinking the same thing, that’s why I watched the video. Apparently in this vehicle your key will not turn off the car if you are in gear, or this car malfunctioned and this was a result. Either way he was not able to turn off the ignition. I would think that romping on the brakes hard enough would kill the engine though. It would mash with the engine and the transmission but it may work.
  
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THX-1138
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 9:38am
Anyone who designed a car that couldn’t be put into neutral AT ANY TIME ought to be slapped into a coma… And then sued when they come out of it…

On the other hand, this story is a very nice allegory for where increasing technology is eventually going to take us all…

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- naughtycal
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:10am
  Thats why standard tranmissions rule. This could never happen when you can down shift and clutch out the drive enirely.
  
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hi
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 9:11am
He needs to be treated for PTSD by a Christian counselor. That is very traumatic.

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BLAZE-READER1
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 9:07am
Do you think 90 minutes is enough time to think about turning the engine off or putting the car in neutral?

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- AlcoholicMB
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 9:34am
  “Putting the car into neutral, turning it off, breaking — none of it worked.”
  
  rif.org
  
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- Cavallo
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 9:36am
  Exactly… 5 or maybe 10 minutes I could understand.
  
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obamapoop
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 9:05am
I am unfamiliar with this particular car but I find it hard to believe he could not turn off the ignition or put the car in neutral. I realize that new cars are more and more drive by wire but it does still have a gear selector and ignition key doesnt it?

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- Gonzo
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:07am
  I am wondering the same thing.
  
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mcmeador
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 9:05am
Can’t imagine why it wouldn’t go into neutral.

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- DZ-015
  Posted on February 26, 2013 at 10:43am
  Like airplanes, cars have increasingly gone into “fly by wire” mode. Instead of direct throttle linkage, the accelerator pedal goes through the computer to regulate speed. How do you think OnStar can shut a car down? Soon your friendly local, state, or national authorities will be able to do it. Too late for this lucky teenager, though.
  
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lel2007
Posted on February 26, 2013 at 9:04am
The car must be all “fly by wire”. Older cars with a simple key switch completing the ignition circuit surely would stop the engine.

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