Car Floor Mats, often neglected car accessory, are sometimes major cause for serious car accidents. When you purchase a new car, it comes with floor mats that are specially designed for your car. However, during winter driving, car owners replace these original manufacturer mats with winter mats from secondary markets since these mats are made from water resistant materials for better car interior protection from mud and snow. The problem with these secondary market mats; in some cases they are poorly designed or improperly used by the car owners. It takes only for these mats to get caught below the brake and above the gas pedal and your car will get out of control. Here are some examples:
In Kennewick, Wash., a 100-year-old motorist suffered head and arm injuries when his car crashed into a ditch after the floor mat got wedged on the gas pedal.
In Montreal, a boy was hospitalized and his sister died after their mother lost control of the car. Police say the floor mat was the likely culprit.
In Warwick, R.I., a truck flew down a hill and through the wall of a living room when a shifting floor mat gave the driver the ride of his life as he tried to back out of a parking spot.
One more note, always follow up with your car manufacturer especially for recalls. Poorly designed car floor mats are not limited to secondary markets, sometimes original floor mats are cause for problems. After at least 12 people nationwide were injured when their vehicles accelerated without warning, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration organized a 2007 recall of all-weather floor mats used in 2007 and 2008 Lexus ES 350 models and Toyota Camrys of the same years, according to the safety agency.
Car floor mats safety tips:
Always buy floor mats specifically designed for your vehicle. “You want to make sure that it’s cut to fit your floorboard,” said AAA spokeswoman Christie Hyde. “That way, it has the eyelets in the proper location to connect to the hook in the floorboard.”
Especially during winter, make sure the floor mat is securely in place, not bunched up. If you notice the mat is out of place while you’re driving, pull over ASAP and fix the mat.
Never put an obstructive object between a mat and the floor. Even though the grips on the bottom of the mat can dig into the vehicle floor and cause slight cosmetic damage, they’re designed to prevent the mat from slipping.
What type of car floor mats do you use? Or do you avoid the use of floor mats in your vehicle?