Can my car mats cause me to crash?

With the recent recalls, there has been a lot of discussion about the mats. These understated accessories for every car on the planet have rarely been the focus of intense discussion. In fact, most of the time the only way a rug is mentioned is if it’s dirty or particularly funny/interesting.

But, since the large number of accidents and even deaths, the spotlight has rightfully focused on these potential hazards.

Why is a mat dangerous?

The danger of mats doesn’t come from anything mechanical, but rather from their ability to stay in place. If a mat were to slide forward when a driver is actively using the accelerator and brake pedals, it could cause an unwanted increase or decrease in speed.

Some cases of floor mat disruption involve the brakes. If a mat gets bunched up under a brake, it could hinder the driver’s ability to depress the pedal. When braking, a person only has a small window to react correctly and this type of distraction has been known to delay reaction long enough to cause accidents.

The other major way that floor mats can be dangerous is that they cause a sticking effect on the throttle. Sometimes the mat flips over on the pedal, other times its gripping nature causes the pedal to stay down. In both scenarios the driver does not achieve throttle reduction when releasing the pedal, which can cause distractions and problems when trying to brake in time.

What kind of carpets are dangerous?

The most dangerous floor mats are aftermarket models that do not fit your vehicle’s mold correctly. It is the responsibility of the driver when purchasing an aftermarket mat to ensure that it will fit and ideally work well with whatever hooks or stabilizer items your car has.

Carpets that are explicitly removed from companies are also dangerous. These are mats that don’t work well with the safety measures in place, or simply don’t have enough safety measures to begin with.

Is there a solution to carpet problems?

If you are concerned about the safety of the mat, the first and best thing to do is simply remove the mat. The floor of your car can get dirty, but it’s so much better than getting in a crash.

Continue to err on the side of security until you can find a model that secures firmly to your vehicle and ideally has retaining clips to keep it in place.