by Key Takeaways
- According to a recent study, among automakers, Tesla has the highest death rate.
- One of the most deadly vehicles is the Model Y.
- Speed, overconfidence in technology and distractions all play a part in Tesla’s increasing accident rates.
Due to worries about its autopilot system, a recent analysis of US road mortality data from 2018 to 2022 shows that Tesla has a high fatal accident rate, with its Model Y ranking among the deadliest.
According to a recent survey by the vehicle research firm iSeeCars, the brand has the greatest death rate in crash incidents involving one or more occupants, even though it has received the best safety ratings, including from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The Model Y is one of the deadliest cars, and Tesla is one of the brands with the worst fatalities.
Although these accolades lend credence to Tesla’s assertions of having a “safety-oriented design” and being “the safest in the world,” empirical evidence suggests otherwise. Perhaps as a result of car design, driver behavior, or both, Tesla tops with 5.6 fatal accidents per billion miles, well ahead of Kia’s 5.5 and Buick’s 4.8.
According to research of fatal crashes from 2017 to 2022, the Tesla Model S and Model Y were among the deadliest vehicles in terms of the number of occupant deaths. With a fatal accident rate 3.7 times greater than the average car and 4.8 times higher than the usual SUV, the Tesla Model Y came in sixth place on the list, while Hyundai, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi, Porsche, and Honda were at the top. The tariff for the Model S was double that of the typical car.
According to Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars, distractions, speed, and an over-reliance on technology are the main causes of the increase in accidents and fatalities, even if new cars are safer because of their better design and safety measures.
Due to autopilot, Tesla is facing lawsuits and safety concerns.
Since 2022, the US Justice Department has been investigating possible charges against Musk’s firm in connection with its autopilot technology. Musk had stated that the technology was “probably better” than a human driver in more than a dozen accidents connected to it, which may have encouraged over-reliance.
Numerous legal cases against Tesla are connected to tragic accidents, in addition to government probes.
The NHTSA recently voiced worries about false social media posts that implied Tesla cars were self-driving, cautioning that these kinds of statements could lead to inflated expectations for the Full Self-Driving system. The agency is looking into possible safety hazards, and Tesla will be penalized if it doesn’t fix the problems by December 18.
