How to stop if your accelerator sticks

Finding yourself in a car with a stuck accelerator pedal is a terrifying prospect for any driver, but what should you do if it happens to you?

With Toyota hitting the headlines for that very reason, here's our guide to dealing with a jammed accelerator pedal.

What to do if the accelerator pedal is stuck
In the highly unlikely event you're affected by a stuck accelerator, the most important thing to do is also the most difficult: stay calm and try not to panic.

Stephen Mead, chief examiner at the Institute of Advanced Motorists said: 'Keep calm surprisingly the perception of the average driver with a stuck accelerator is that they can't brake either, but this is a misconception brought on by panic.

'Press the brake firmly, then the clutch, which will disengage the power. In an automatic, drivers should brake, wait for a reaction from the vehicle and then put the car into neutral. You can still steer, too, so a stuck accelerator isn't actually the disaster it sounds,' added Mr Mead.

Find a safe place to stop
Once you've got the car into neutral and the brake is on, indicate and manoeuvre the car to the side of the road.

'There will be loud revving in the background and you will probably be in a state of shock, but if you remain calm you can avoid serious danger,' said Mr Mead.

What not to do
• Don't try to un-jam the accelerator
• Don't use the handbrake
• Don't pump the brakes
• Don't remove the key from the ignition until you've stopped