diff --git a/selfdrive/debug/max_lat_accel.py b/selfdrive/debug/max_lat_accel.py
index 889a855356..0a201654bf 100755
--- a/selfdrive/debug/max_lat_accel.py
+++ b/selfdrive/debug/max_lat_accel.py
@@ -21,14 +21,15 @@ class Event(NamedTuple):
   timestamp: float  # relative to start of route (s)
 
 
-def find_events(lr: LogReader, qlog: bool = False) -> list[Event]:
+def find_events(lr: LogReader, extrapolate: bool = False, qlog: bool = False) -> list[Event]:
   min_lat_active = RLOG_MIN_LAT_ACTIVE // QLOG_DECIMATION if qlog else RLOG_MIN_LAT_ACTIVE
   min_steering_unpressed = RLOG_MIN_STEERING_UNPRESSED // QLOG_DECIMATION if qlog else RLOG_MIN_STEERING_UNPRESSED
   min_requesting_max = RLOG_MIN_REQUESTING_MAX // QLOG_DECIMATION if qlog else RLOG_MIN_REQUESTING_MAX
 
+  steer_threshold = 0.6 if extrapolate else 0.95
+
   events = []
 
-  start_ts = 0
 
   # state tracking
   steering_unpressed = 0  # frames
@@ -39,7 +40,9 @@ def find_events(lr: LogReader, qlog: bool = False) -> list[Event]:
   curvature = 0
   v_ego = 0
   roll = 0
+  out_torque = 0
 
+  start_ts = 0
   for msg in lr:
     if msg.which() == 'carControl':
       if start_ts == 0:
@@ -49,7 +52,8 @@ def find_events(lr: LogReader, qlog: bool = False) -> list[Event]:
 
     elif msg.which() == 'carOutput':
       # if we test with driver torque safety, max torque can be slightly noisy
-      requesting_max = requesting_max + 1 if abs(msg.carOutput.actuatorsOutput.torque) > 0.95 else 0
+      out_torque = msg.carOutput.actuatorsOutput.torque
+      requesting_max = requesting_max + 1 if abs(out_torque) > steer_threshold else 0
 
     elif msg.which() == 'carState':
       steering_unpressed = steering_unpressed + 1 if not msg.carState.steeringPressed else 0
@@ -65,7 +69,8 @@ def find_events(lr: LogReader, qlog: bool = False) -> list[Event]:
       # TODO: record max lat accel at the end of the event, need to use the past lat accel as overriding can happen before we detect it
       requesting_max = 0
 
-      current_lateral_accel = curvature * v_ego ** 2 - roll * EARTH_G
+      factor = 1 / abs(out_torque)
+      current_lateral_accel = (curvature * v_ego ** 2 * factor) - roll * EARTH_G
       events.append(Event(current_lateral_accel, v_ego, roll, round((msg.logMonoTime - start_ts) * 1e-9, 2)))
       print(events[-1])
 
@@ -77,6 +82,8 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
                                    formatter_class=argparse.ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter)
 
   parser.add_argument("route", nargs='+')
+  parser.add_argument("--extrapolate", action="store_true", help="Extrapolates max lateral acceleration events linearly. " +
+                                                                 "This option can be far less accurate.")
   args = parser.parse_args()
 
   events = []
@@ -92,7 +99,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
       print('WARNING: Treating route as qlog!')
 
     print('Finding events...')
-    events += find_events(lr, qlog=qlog)
+    events += find_events(lr, extrapolate=args.extrapolate, qlog=qlog)
 
   print()
   print(f'Found {len(events)} events')