ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 4TH, 2010, I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND PLACED THE 2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN IN PARK. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING WHILE I FINISHED UP A PHONE CALL THROUGH THE BLUETOOTH AND PROCEEDED TO LISTEN TO THE RADIO WHILE CLEANING OUT THE VAN. I WALKED AROUND THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE LEANING IN TO CLEAN THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. I NEEDED TO GO INSIDE THE HOUSE, SO, STANDING OUTSIDE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VAN I REACHED ACROSS THE SEAT TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND REMOVE THE KEYS. AS SOON AS I DID THIS, THE VAN JOLTED BACKWARD AND CONTINUED TO TRAVEL DOWN MY DRIVEWAY. MY UPPER BODY WAS STILL INSIDE THE CAR. I TRIED TO DEPRESS THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WITH MY RIGHT HAND WHILE I HELD TIGHTLY ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY LEFT. I WASN'T ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BUT I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL SO THAT THE VAN CRASHED INTO A TREE ON MY PROPERTY, INSTEAD OF GOING INTO THE STREET. WHEN THE VAN HIT THE TREE, THE FORCE THREW ME OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND ONTO THE DRIVEWAY. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY MY HUSBAND WHERE THE FOUND THAT I HAD BROKEN 2 RIBS, SPRAINED MY LEFT SHOULDER AND SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE SOFT TISSUE DAMAGE. I ALSO SUFFERED SEVERAL CUTS AND SCRAPES AND NUMEROUS BRUISES. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. *TR