If your gas pedal is jammed, what is one of the first actions you should take?

When your gas pedal is jammed, one of the first actions you should take is to slap the pedal with your foot and shift to neutral. This is a critical immediate response because shifting to neutral disengages the engine from the wheels, allowing you to regain control of the vehicle. By using this method, you can safely slow down the car without accelerating further, which could lead to a potentially dangerous situation.

The action of slapping the pedal might also help to dislodge any obstruction. However, the primary focus should be on shifting to neutral to prevent further acceleration and to allow for safe maneuvering of the vehicle. Engaging neutral stops the car from gaining speed while you work to resolve the jam or navigate to the side of the road.

Turning on the hazard lights is a good safety measure, but it should typically be done after you’ve taken control of the situation by shifting to neutral. Accelerating to remove a jam could result in losing control of your vehicle, which can be very hazardous. Similarly, shifting to drive in this scenario would not be a safe option since it would keep the vehicle in gear and could exacerbate the situation.