99 escort shifting problems

Possible that the car doesn't have that safety mechanism. I know that chrysler didn't put it on it's newer mini-vans. A lot of people got hurt from the fact when their vans moved unexpectedly and the mom would get sandwiched between the van and a wood fence. There was a documentary on it.

East-

The shift interlock is deactivated when the brake lights are on, so first, with the car in park and the engine on, walk behind the car or have someone look at the brake lights; if they are on, you have a problem in the brake light switch; if your brake lights are only on when you push on the brakes, there is a problem with the solenoid attached to the shifter; sounds like it is stuck in the off position. On many cars that have cup holders next to the shifter, soft drinks get spilled into the shifter and cause what you are describing.