I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WITHIN CITY LIMITS DRIVING AT ABOUT 45 MPH. I REALIZED THE VEHICLE I WAS APPROACHING HAD SLOWED DOWN OR HAD STOPPED DUE TO MERGING TRAFFIC. I HAD MORE THAN THE NECESSARY AMOUNT OF CLEARANCE AHEAD. I APPLIED BRAKES. HOWEVER, BRAKES DID NOT SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE BY ANY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT -- IT APPEARED AS IF THE ENGINE WAS CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE OR MAINTAIN ITS SPEED. I CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. THE VEHICLE I CRASHED INTO VEERED TO THE RIGHT. MY VEHICLE CONTINUED FORWARD AND THEN CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE STOPPED IN FRONT. AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH, THE GEAR SELECTOR MOVED INTO N, WHICH IS THE REASON I THINK THE VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED. I HAVE THE CRASH REPORT DOCUMENTING THIS. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SUCH AN INCIDENT HAD HAPPENED AFTER I HAD PURCHASED THE CAR USED FROM AN INDIVIDUAL. THE CAR WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS BY MY INSURANCE CARRIER. *TR