Chrysler T&C trans can be shifted without applying brake?

ah64apache

I saw a news report a few months ago about a woman who was killed when her young child climbed into the drivers seat, and while playing with dials and gages, moved the selector for the automatic transmission into Reverse - woman was behind the vehicle and it ran her over. I recently test drove the Town and Country and realized it again, months after the news story. You can actually shift the gears from Park to Reverse, or any other gear, without depressing the brake pedal first. The vehicle does not need to be running either!! Obviously you want to keep kids out of drivers seat, but accidents happen. Has anyone else heard of this incident, and has Chrysler done anything about it?

ah64apache

Government May Recall Millions Of Chyrsler Minivans
The federal government is deciding whether to order a recall of the most popular minivan on the road today.

The recall may come about after an alarming number of accidents were reported involving young children in millions of Chrysler minivans.

In each case, the children were left alone in the car for just a few minutes.

"The door knocked her down, and the car just rolled over her and stopped on her chest," said Todd Golden.

That accident killed Golden's wife two years ago.

Their Dodge Caravan ran her over seconds after she stepped out of the van.

She had left her daughter sitting in the van as she stepped out.

The girl began playing with the shift lever and accidentally put the car into reverse.

But don't blame the girl.

ABC's Good Morning America reports that Chrysler minivans don't have a brake pedal shift lock.

What's a brake pedal shift lock?

Almost every car on the road requires to you press in the brake pedal before you can put the car in gear.

Until this year, Chrysler minivans did not have that safety feature, according to Good Morning America.

And ABC has discovered 27 reports of children accidentally putting minivans in gear, causing them to roll.

The government may order a recall, but until that happens, never leave children unattended in a Chrysler minivan, such as a Dodge Caravan.

And to be safe, get in the habit of using the foot brake.

Mr_Shiftright

Sounds like the parents need to go to court, not Chrysler!

What are little children doing alone in the driver's seat of a running car? And if not running, why wasn't the emergency brake on?