Washington ? The Obama administration is considering requiring all cars and trucks sold in the U.S. to have brakes that can override gas pedals to prevent sudden acceleration problems like those that led to reports of deaths and the recall of millions of Toyotas, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told Congress on Tuesday.

“We’re looking at it,” LaHood told the Senate Commerce Committee. “We think it is a good safety device.”

The panel’s chairman suggested “strong legislative action” was needed, including brake overrides, which would require a relatively inexpensive software upgrade.

The comments came as the government raised to 52 the number of reported deaths linked to runaway Toyota vehicles and as Toyota executives returned to Capitol Hill for the third time in a week to try to persuade lawmakers they are urgently fixing any problems.