Tesla has the highest rate of fatal accidents among all car brands, report shows
A new analysis of National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration auto-crash data shows that Tesla has the highest rate of fatal accidents among all car brands in the US.
The study was conducted by automotive research firm iSeeCars, which looked at 2018-22 model-year vehicles in crashes where at least one occupant died, during the years of 2017-22 (with 2022 being the most recent full year of data).
iSeeCar’s analysis calculated a rate based on the total number of miles driven, which was estimated from the company’s car data from over 8 million vehicles on the road. While the total rate of fatal accidents per billion miles driven by all vehicles was 2.8, Tesla vehicles overall had a rate of 5.6. Tesla’s Model Y SUV had fatal accident rate of 10.6, more than double the average for SUVs, which was 4.8.
Tesla’s cars do get high vehicle-safety ratings, consistently receiving five stars from the NHTSA’s rating program. Tesla cites data that shows Tesla vehicles using the company’s “autopilot” assisted-driving technology are safer than the US average (for all vehicle accidents), and that according to NHTSA data, Tesla vehicles have the lowest probability of injury in all the cars that the agency has tested.
While Tesla’s vehicles may be packed with advanced safety features, their drivers also may be paying less attention to the road, or assuming their car can do more than the marketing claims.
Tesla is currently facing a NHTSA investigation into its “full self-driving” feature, which has been involved with at least one pedestrian death and several accidents.
The study was conducted by automotive research firm iSeeCars, which looked at 2018-22 model-year vehicles in crashes where at least one occupant died, during the years of 2017-22 (with 2022 being the most recent full year of data).
iSeeCar’s analysis calculated a rate based on the total number of miles driven, which was estimated from the company’s car data from over 8 million vehicles on the road. While the total rate of fatal accidents per billion miles driven by all vehicles was 2.8, Tesla vehicles overall had a rate of 5.6. Tesla’s Model Y SUV had fatal accident rate of 10.6, more than double the average for SUVs, which was 4.8.
Tesla’s cars do get high vehicle-safety ratings, consistently receiving five stars from the NHTSA’s rating program. Tesla cites data that shows Tesla vehicles using the company’s “autopilot” assisted-driving technology are safer than the US average (for all vehicle accidents), and that according to NHTSA data, Tesla vehicles have the lowest probability of injury in all the cars that the agency has tested.
While Tesla’s vehicles may be packed with advanced safety features, their drivers also may be paying less attention to the road, or assuming their car can do more than the marketing claims.
Tesla is currently facing a NHTSA investigation into its “full self-driving” feature, which has been involved with at least one pedestrian death and several accidents.
