There was also the problem with the floor mat being jammed in the pedal. Although Toyota had the dealer modify the pedal to reduce the potential for jamming, the Prius has brake-override so that if you pressed firmly on the brake (even with the accelerator jammed) the brake would override the accelerator. In addition, the main cause of floor mat pedal jamming was the addition of a second mat over the factory mat. But really, floor mats, bottles, and other assorted items have been causing car pedals to jam since there have been cars. Note that not all Toyotas (including the rental Lexus that the CHP officer and his family lost their lives in) have brake override.
The Prius is one of the safest cars out there, and here's why:
1. There are four braking systems on the Prius:
- Regenerative brakes
- Friction brakes
- Engine brakes
- Parking brakes
2. Vehicle stability control:
- A system that prevents doughnuts during slippery conditions if you are going anything like a reasonable speed. Studies from Europe and Japan indicate that VSC reduces head-on collisions by over 30%. Other cars have this feature, but not in the Prius' price range.
4. Brake assist:
- A system that applies extra force to the brake pedal when it senses an emergency stop. Studies by Mercedes indicate that people press the brakes quickly but not hard enough. Brake assist compensates for this tendency.
5. Brake override:
- A system that stops the acceleration when the brake pedal is pressed firmly.
6. The smooth acceleration of the Prius (there are no gears that shift) helps prevent you rear-ending someone if they slow down right after stopping. (An old fashioned economy car typically has a very low first gear to disguise the fact the engine is small--this creates rapid acceleration up to about 10 mph after which the acceleration bogs down. The Prius smoothly accelerates up to it's maximum speed of about 105 mph which is controlled by the system.)
7. Optionally in the 2010 Prius:
- Radar pre-collision
- Lane keep
Many of these systems prevent the accident in the first place. The best accident is one you don't have.
Oh, and don't worry about the battery. The 2004+ Prius batteries are likely to last as long as the car.
