How about that? The most “advanced” car actually recorded the highest fatal accident rate in America according to a study by iSeeCars.
Automotive research and data analytics firm iSeeCars said the Tesla Model Y has a fatal accident rate of more than three times the average car over a billion miles driven. The Model S is twice more likely to result in a fatal crash than the average car.
The firm analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System. It included model year 2018-2022 cars with crashes that resulted in at least one occupant fatality to identify the most dangerous vehicles.
The problem? Distracted drivers.
“New cars are safer than they’ve ever been,” said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars Executive Analyst. “Between advanced chassis design, driver assist technology and an array of airbags surrounding the driver, today’s car models provide excellent occupant protection,” he added.
“But these safety features are being countered by distracted driving and higher rates of speed, leading to rising accident and death rates in recent years.”
Misleading labels like “Full-Self Driving,” touchscreen-centric controls and driver complacency have raised growing concern over safety. While Teslas and most cars with ADAS include infrared driver-monitoring cameras, they’re far from foolproof.
Tesla has the highest fatal accident rate of all car brands, followed by Kia, Buick, Dodge and Hyundai, iSeeCars said. “The biggest contributor to occupant safety is avoiding a crash and the biggest factor in crash avoidance is driver behavior,” Brauer said.
Not to add fuel to the fire, so to speak, a new finding about our recent report about a Tesla catching fire after accident suggested that the passengers in the car could not exit their vehicle after the accident. Though Tesla’s have manual overrides for opening the doors, its obtuse design may have been a factor.
Maybe its best they take a page out of Volvo’s playbook and innovate on keeping drivers safe instead of overpromising and underdelivering on the future promise of EVs.
