By Steven Symes 
Every few weeks we see yet another story of someone driving a car off a parking garage or elevated structure. This time it was an elderly man in Seattle and he was behind the wheel of a Subaru Outback, which are plentiful in the Pacific Northwest, when it plunged about 12 feet, landing on its roof.
Recalled Nissan’s hood flies open on the highway.
The Subaru was on what’s being described as a parking platform, landing on an apartment patio on the morning of April 6. Sadly, Seattle Police Department says the 77-year-old man not only didn’t walk away from the accident, he died in the hospital, thanks to his injuries.
There were barriers present to prevent this kind of accident. Police say the Outback rolled over a cement parking bumper, then through a metal railing before going over the edge. Why the man didn’t or couldn’t stop the Subaru isn’t apparent, but we’re sure an investigation will focus on that.
For what it’s worth, the roof of the Subaru Outback didn’t completely pancake. It wasn’t that long ago many cars in this scenario would’ve basically imploded. It’s just too bad the driver was still critically injured in the crash.
In many panic situations, a driver will accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal. Not thinking, they will hit the accelerator even harder as the car surges forward, thinking they’re pressing on the brake, causing it to go even faster.
Since accidents like this often unfold in two seconds or less, you really don’t have time to think, only time to do. And sometimes muscle memory serves people poorly.
Newer vehicles with auto-stop technologies might not allow the driver to go over the edge of a parking structure like this. Sadly, the Subaru appears to old to have such innovations onboard.
Image via Seattle Police Department