French driver trapped for an hour as car brakes jam at 125 mph on motorway

A French driver is speaking out after being trapped in his car for an hour as it sped along at 125 mph with no brakes.

Frank Lecerf eventually crossed the border into Belgium -- all the while unable to stop the vehicle. His Renault Laguna finally came to a stop when it ran out of fuel and rolled into a ditch, according to Britain's The Guardian.

Now Lecerf, 36, plans to file a legal complaint over the incident.

Lecerf left his home in Pont-de-Metz, near the northern French city of Amiens, to do his weekly shopping. His car, which had been adapted for disabled drivers, initially jammed at 60 mph. Each time Lecerf attempted to use the brake, the car accelerated, eventually reaching 125 mph.

Lecerf phoned emergency services from the car and his journey was then followed by several police vehicles, which escorted him along the French motorway.

Three toll stations were warned to raise their barriers as Lecerf's speeding car drove through.

"My life flashed before me," he told France's Courrier Picard in an interview published Wednesday. ''I just wanted it to stop." He wasn't injured but had two epileptic seizures.

Lecerf claims it wasn't the first time his car had jammed and his lawyer said he would file a legal complaint over "endangerment of a person's life."

[nursedeb49]

For all you car experts, if a car has a defect, it may not work like it's suppose to, so there is the flaw in your theory, however it says it did it before, I would not drive it again until I had the answer to that. I had an old manual years ago that the accelerator stuck on, and yes the things you describe, going to low gear or neutral worked, but that's because of what the problem was, now cars all have computers and likely they will be able to determine the validity of his story by checking it. When Toyota owners were having the problem, apparently someone tried to fake an incident, but the car's computer showed it to be a hoax.

[Uneed2BWeened]

Do you know how to make a car top?

[Uneed2BWeened]

You tep on he brake tupid!

[chemist867]

turning off the ignition locks the steering

[Uneed2BWeened]

doubt it.

[jmarklane]

"Each time Lecerf attempted to use the brake, the car accelerated"... Uh-huh. That's the same thing my wife said when she wrecked my car. "There is something wrong with the brake, it made the car go instead of stop." Good grief.

[tksolver]

Even cars with automatic transmissions have NEUTRAL available. Once in neutral, the car slows and the emergency brake can be engaged. Turning off the ignition would also work.

[VO142857]

Why couldn't he turn off the ignition?

[you_MAY_be_right]

That would require thought and common sense, sort of like putting the car in neutral.

[Forty-Four]

In the heat of the moment you don't always think of that type of stuff. Good points though....it is what I was taught to do in that situation.

[victor_2-1]

Next time this happens sir, place the car in neutral, coast to the road shoulder, and bring the car to a complete stop using the brakes, and then safely turn your car off.

[prm777]

I wonder if he tried applying his emergency brake and putting the car in neutral (or disengaging the clutch).

[kbbpll]

Never any relevant details in stories like this, for example why he couldn't just turn off the ignition or shift to neutral.

[VO142857]

1. Emergency brake at 125 mph simply wouldn't work.
2. He is handicapped, and his car is adapted for disabled drivers. I doubt his car has manual transmission.

[Whereisthesanity]

Uh ? It happens EVERY single day in Every state in the US. Nothing new there.

[course2kid]

Why is a man who has epilectic seizures allowed to drive?