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I simply noticed the headline on Google Information: “Tesla Has the Highest Deadly Accident Fee of All Auto Manufacturers, Examine Finds.” Yikes. I’ve coated how protected Tesla autos are for a few years. In truth, it was the #1 cause why I purchased a Tesla Mannequin 3 in 2019. So, on the one hand, it was shocking to see that headline. However probably not.
We already noticed final 12 months that one of many causes Hertz was promoting off its Tesla autos and never shopping for extra was as a result of they had been extra prone to get into accidents, after which ready for repairs/service/components took longer than common as properly. These sorts of issues add up an incredible deal while you’re managing a giant fleet of autos.
Are Tesla autos truly designed to be unsafe? No, that’s not the difficulty. The problem is that whereas Tesla was designing its automobiles to be further protected, it was additionally continuously specializing in making the automobiles tremendous fast (insanely fast, ludicrously fast, plaid fast) and commonly hyping up how fast its automobiles had been to be able to stimulate client demand.
Imagine it or not, while you’ve consumed all that hype round how fast a Tesla is, it’s straightforward to be influenced and wish to smoke automobiles off the road at a purple gentle, or simply drive like a bat out of hell. The issue is: that results in accidents, and quick accidents result in deaths. Let’s get to the stunning stats:
“Tesla’s autos have the very best deadly accident fee amongst all automotive manufacturers in America, in accordance with a latest iSeeCars examine that analyzed information from the U.S. Fatality Evaluation Reporting System (FARS).
“The examine was performed on mannequin 12 months 2018–2022 autos, and centered on crashes between 2017 and 2022 that resulted in occupant fatalities. Tesla autos have a deadly crash fee of 5.6 per billion miles pushed, in accordance with the examine; Kia is second with a fee of 5.5, and Buick rounds out the highest three with a 4.8 fee. The common deadly crash fee for all automobiles in america is 2.8 per billion car miles pushed.”
These are some damning stats.
Once more, I don’t assume it’s received something to do with how protected Tesla automobiles is. They’re designed properly with security in thoughts. Nonetheless, it’s a reasonably upsetting factor to search out out that the fatality fee in a Tesla is considerably larger than in automobiles from another model. Tesla homeowners simply have to chillax a bit extra. And Tesla autos are nice for enjoyable and driving calmly and easily — that’s how I usually drive as of late!
However when you’ve purchased the automotive as a result of it’s fast, likelihood is, you’re going to make use of that highly effective torque to routinely make it go fast.
Apart from that the majority apparent level, there may be additionally an opportunity that the middle touchscreen distracts an excessive amount of. I haven’t seen any analysis or stats on this, however I’ve seen anecdotal statements and experiences alongside these strains a number of occasions. Nevertheless it’s actually more durable to imagine that is the difficulty when the opposite clarification is so clear and apparent.
No matter you’re doing on the market on the highway, keep protected and drive cautiously. And if you wish to race your Tesla, take it to a race monitor as soon as every week. Don’t go appearing like a race automotive driver on a standard highway. It’s not value it.
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