[Airmapper]

Remember that fiasco where Toyota's had stuck accelerators and people couldn't stop? Not ever going to be an issue with a manual. Press the clutch and no more being pushed along against your will. If that doesn't work force the gear lever into neutral. Yes it may damage something, but you have MANUAL controls to disengage engine power from the drive line. This should be considered a safety feature.

Another safety feature of a manual comes in the event of brake loss. You can force a downshift and slow the vehicle using the engines compression. Again this could cause damage, but is available as an emergency option.

I'll take a manual over a auto any day. The simpler engineering creates fewer points to fail. This society of wanting everything idiot proof is hurting the manual, it actually takes skill to drive one, and people are lazy.