Feds: Brakes weren't applied on crashed downstate Prius

WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators say computer data from a Toyota Prius that crashed in New York show that at the time of the accident the throttle was open and the driver was not hitting the brakes.

A housekeeper driving the car on March 9 told police that it sped up on its own before crashing despite her braking.

The accident prompted an intense investigation because Toyota has recalled more than 8 million cars since last fall because gas pedals could become stuck or be held down by floor mats.

Technicians from Toyota and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration examined the wrecked Prius Wednesday in Harrison. On Thursday, NHTSA said information from the car's computer systems indicated there was no application of the brakes and the throttle was fully open.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)