Why so little mention of Neutral in "Unintended Acceleration"?

A driver can select Neutral as well as accelerator or brake.

I assume the laws of physics still apply in "unintended acceleration." In particular, F=ma, "force equals mass times acceleration," implies that acceleration depends on a continued applied force.

With this in mind, I am puzzled by the rare mention of the N or Neutral position of a car's automatic transmission gear selector. Seemingly, Neutral deftly takes the car's engine, throttle and accelerator pedal out of the acceleration equation.

Yet a California Highway Patrolman and his family accelerate to high speed in a loaner car; the horror long enough for a 911 call and burned out brakes. They perish in the resulting crash. What about Neutral?

Misaligned floormats and malfunctioning accelerator pedal dampers are implicated in throttles failing to return to their closed position. But what about Neutral in the gear selector?

A Minnesota car speeds up in reverse, crosses a street and destroys a neighbor's tree; this, despite efforts of braking. What about Neutral?

I read extensive Congressional testimony covering , the possible effects of outside electromagnetic interference, apologies of the automaker and other aspects. I read nothing about Neutral in the gear selector.

A car in suburban New York accelerates out of a driveway, across a busy street and hits a stone wall with such force that boulders are hurled 10 feet from the crash site. According to reports, the floormat was not at fault, and a stuck pedal shot the car forward. Yet what about Neutral?

I write about incorporated into suspect, future and other automakers' cars. A colleague . Still available to us all, though, is that Neutral choice in the gear selector.

I've read only two reports containing the word "Neutral." In one, a woman says her car continued to accelerate for miles—despite her applying the brakes and taking it out of gear—until the Lord saves her. Might He have selected Neutral?

In the other, a car accelerated to 94 mph, its driver called 911 and a California Highway Patrolman sped alongside and offered instructions over a loudspeaker. One news report cites braking as the only advice. According to Associated Press, though, the patrolman suggested the driver shift into Neutral, only to have the driver shake his head no. The driver later told reporters he didn't go to Neutral because he worried the car would flip.

I am puzzled by all this, and I ask once more, what about Neutral?

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