# 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA — STEERING
> NHTSA complaint `1690455` · 2020-09-07 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** Yes
## Vehicle
- **Make:** CHEVROLET
- **Model:** IMPALA
- **Year:** 2009
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** STEERING
- **Miles at failure:** 180,000
- **Speed:** 23 mph
## Narrative
I CRASHED HEADING DOWN A HILL .I CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE AFTER MY CAR SUDDENLY REVVED UP,GAINED SPEED AS I HEADED TOWARDS A TELEPHONE POLE ,WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING ,BRAKES BECAUSE MY CAR QUIT AFTER GAINING SPEED DUE TO THE RPMS AMPING UP ON THEIR OWN AND GOING DOWN A HILL. WHEN I HIT THE POLE,THE TELEPHONE LINES SNAPPED AND I WAS TRAPPED IN THE CAR BECAUSE THEY LANDED ON MY DRIVER WINDOW AND WERE SHOOTING OUT SPARKS AS IF THEY WERE ROMAN CANDLES AND A FIRE STARTED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY CAR IN SOME PINE STRAW. WHEN THE FIREMEN WAS ABLE TO GET ME OUT OF THE CAR HE CAME TO THE PASSENGER SIDE AND BY THEN I HAD TAKEN MY SEAT  BELT OFF AND  THE FIREMAN ADVISED ME TO GET OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE IF I WAS ABLE AND I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS SCARED TO LET OFF THE BRAKE BECAUSE I THOUGHT FOR SOME REASON BEING OUT OF MY HEAD THAT THE CAR WAS GOING TO ROLL IF I LET OFF THE BRAKE AND HE TOOK HIS HAND AND SLAMMED THE CAR UP IN TO PARK BECAUSE I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE I HAD NOT PUT IT IN PARK. HE SAID YOU CAN LET YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE BECAUSE IT WILL NOT ROLL AND I SAID I'M TOO SCARED .I ASKED..CAN I PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND HE SAID YES AND WHEN I DID IT WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. THEN I CONTINUED TO COME OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE AND HOP TO THE SIDEWALK WITH MY FEET TOGETHER JUST IN CASE ANYTHING WAS HOT AND TO KEEP FROM GETTING  ELECTROCUTIED JUST IN CASE SOMETHING WAS STILL HOT AROUND US. WHEN I WAS STRUCK BY THE AIRBAG THE AND THE SEAT BELT DID ITS JOB I SUPPOSE BUT FOR SOME 
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*