A fresh report from iSeeCars analysts showed that among automobile brands, Tesla electric vehicles have the highest rate of fatal accidents. There are no complaints about the Tesla cars themselves or the cars of other companies – these are modern and highly reliable products. Advertising with inflated promises and personal irresponsibility of drivers most likely lead to accidents.
Image source: iSeeCars
Elon Musk regularly reported that the company’s electric vehicles have the highest degree of reliability among similar products from other companies. This probably affects the behavior of drivers who believe too much in the invulnerability of their cars. After analyzing data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), iSeeCars analysts showed that Tesla Model S and Model Y electric vehicles were among the most dangerous cars.
Based on crash data from 2017 to 2022 involving 2018-2022 model year vehicles, Tesla’s Model S and Model Y electric vehicles are ranked as the two deadliest vehicles on the road in terms of occupant fatality rates. However, the highest number of deaths overall occurred in crashes involving other vehicles: Hyundai Venue (13.9 per billion miles driven), Chevrolet Corvette and Mitsubishi Mirage (13.6 each), Porsche 911 and Honda CR- V Hybrid (13.2 cases each). The Tesla Model Y electric car is only sixth on this list with 10.6 cases, and the Model S is 21st (5.8 cases).
Tesla overall has the highest fatal crash rate of any car brand, followed by Kia, Buick, Dodge and Hyundai. With an average of 2.8 deaths per 1 billion miles driven (1.6 billion km), Tesla’s result was 5.6. Next Kia has a score of 5.5, Buick – 4.8, Dodge – 4.4 and Hyundai – 3.9. As with model ratings, it is possible that high fatal crash rates reflect driver behavior more than vehicle design. Overall, the Tesla Model Y turned out to be 3.7 times more dangerous than the average car on the road, and the Model S was 2 times more dangerous.
Separately, analysts emphasize that they have no complaints about the cars. It seems that drivers are being careless, relying excessively on elements of the autopilot and steering assistance systems. Tesla’s aggressive advertising has more than once become the subject of litigation, and its inflated promises can indirectly lead to fatal accidents, despite all the other advantages of these cars.