r/TeslaCollision • u/Earth_passenger_ • 4d ago
New cars pattern
Is there a pattern here?
I've been seeing a lot of reports about people crashing their new Teslas.
Do you think it's because they aren't used to driving them, or is it just bad luck that happens with any car?
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u/Gnarly_Bard 4d ago
Teslas do have a higher-than-average accident rate, but it is generally attributed to demographics combined with the high performance characteristics of the car. 25-30 year olds don’t drive as cautiously as 40-50 year olds, and Tesla drivers trend younger than drivers of other high performance car brands.
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u/Powerful_Koala7877 4d ago
Interestingly ironic take, I was hit by a 25 year old, in his new KIA at 70 in my '26 MY LE (daily driver) trying to prove he was 10... but i digress.
The weight distribution, and power (torque) to weight ratio can make traction a G thing for most... especially in inclement weather. It's definitely no Audi.
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u/vyomnetra 4d ago
Tesla are really powerful vehicles with instant high torque. Lot's of folks coming from other ev brands and gas cars don't realize the power at their disposal and then abuse it and crash.
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u/HiroyukiC1296 4d ago
Can be some folks aren’t used to driving their teslas, distracted driving, or even bad luck.
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u/Aromatic-Screen-8703 4d ago edited 4d ago
It’s a psychological illusion known as frequency bias. It’s like if you are interested in model x or color y, you start seeing them a lot more. PLUS, the news, the internet, and your feed are heavily biased.
The news skews towards the sensational. The feed algorithm gives you more of what you have watched before. And Tesla dashcams enable much more available accident footage. Lastly, Reddit subs like this one compound all of the above.
And yes, a fair subset of people are just careless.
I would say that Teslas are less likely to have an accident if you watch the number of close call videos where FSD avoided accidents. I had one such close call a few years ago on the highway. The cars in front in the left lane suddenly stopped short and FSD (12.x) swerved left onto the shoulder and decelerated hard at the same time I had the same instinct.
The moral is to use FSD but stay alert just in case.
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u/RosieDear 3d ago
Accident rates in Tesla (and fatalities) are among the highest of any models in the USA.
I also see vast numbers of reports - many smaller (FSD curbing or backing into something) accidents from newer buyers.
The reason for this seems pretty obvious. Start with this - Tesla sales are at 35% of Teslas own projections from 4 years ago (they forecast 50% growth per year). That would be 1.6 Million in the USA....
So, who is buying them? It's a niche.....it isn't the general public. I see the statements of these folks...who have the accidents. I see what many of them say before they buy. They have been "sold" a car that drives itself. That is why many of them bought it. Without pointing fingers you can find plenty of people on Reddit who have been talking their friends and family into buying Teslas - strictly because they drive themselves! In fact, it goes futher - these folks are suggesting self-driving Teslas to people who can't drive! Disabled or partially blind people, etc.....I could show you these posts. People are telling them they will be safer!
The result? A good percentage of new buyers think the car can do things it cannot. The lesson? If they are really lucky they ruin a wheel or a tire, if they are less lucky...well, you see the result.
Make no mistake - this comes from the top. Tesla wants buyers to consider the car as fully self-driving. They always have. They make no bones about it. You can't blame people for thinking "they couldn't say that if it was not true".
Turns out you CAN say things that are not true if you don't care.
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u/SomeGuyInThe315 4d ago
No. The news is after Elon so if you back into a car with your tesla you will make the news. If you hit a car with your mustang nobody cares