I BOUGHT MY 1998 VOLVO C70 CONVERTIBLE IN JAN 1999. ON MAY 20, 1999 AT APPROX 11:45 PM, I WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT-HAND LANE ON RT.175-W IN COLUMBIA, MD, APPROX. 1 MILE FROM MY HOME. STOPPED AT RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AT DOBBIN RD/RT.175 INTERSECTION. NO OTHER CARS. LIGHT TURNED GREEN. PROCEEDED FORWARD. I WAS ACCELERATING FORWARD THEN RPMS DROPPED. I PRESSED ON THE PEDAL AND HAD NO RESPONSE. THE HEADLIGHTS FADED OUT AND THE RPMS DROPPED TO 5 MPH. NO CARS AROUND ME, I STOPPED THE CAR, PUT INTO PARK AND TRIED TO RESTART IT TWICE. NOTHING HAPPENED ?? NO SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON. THEN A CAR PASSED ME ON THE RIGHT. I SAW HEADLIGHTS OF A CAR APPROX. 200 FEET BEHIND ME IN THE SAME LANE. I SAID OUT LOUD, "PLEASE DON'T HIT ME. GET IN THE OTHER LANE. PLEASE DON'T HIT ME." THAT IS THE LAST THING I REMEMBER UNTIL WAKING UP IN SHOCK TRAUMA EMERGENCY ROOM AT U OF MD MEDICAL CENTER IN BALTIMORE, MD LYING ON A GURNEY - 2 POLICEMEN AT MY FEET AND MY PARENTS ON MY LEFT. SOMEWHAT AWARE THAT I HAD A NECK BRACE ON, BUT MORE CONCERNED AT THE TIME THAT MY HEAD WAS KILLING ME. I HAD A LARGE GASH IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD THAT REQUIRED 8 STAPLES. I FRACTURED 2 VERTEBRAE IN MY NECK, (C4, C5). THE DOCTORS DECIDED ON NATURAL HEALING INSTEAD OF SURGERY. I WAS REQUIRED TO WEAR A SUMI NECK BRACE FOR 12 WEEKS. I WAS ADMITTED TO THE ORTHOPEDIC CRITICAL CARE FLOOR FOR 6 DAYS. I RECEIVED MORPHINE AND PERCOCET. AFTER 6 DAYS, I WAS RELEASED TO MY PARENTS CARE TO CONT. ROUND THE CLOCK