Tesla model 3 accident with a Mack truck

[MountainPass]

It's easy to sit at our computers and analyze what happened and what she should have done. The reality is that at that moment she didn't have time to consider what the laws are and how they apply to her situation. She just reacted, and it is what it is. No one was hurt and it was really the best outcome considering a giant truck rammed her car. We will all have moments in our lives when we just have to react and deal with the consequences after- sometimes you will be glad you reacted the way you did, and other times you will wish you did what you really know you should have.

 

[Iceman8]

Having conversed with an experienced traffic lawyer: he assures me the law does not require that one must "yield" to an emergency vehicle stopped at a red traffic light, as it is not moving and thus there is nothing to "yield" to. The mere presence of such vehicles is not grounds for deference and does not in itself create an imperative to yield. These are legal arguments that according to him, have been successfully won in court. However, every case is always different in some way, and only the circumstances and parties directly involved, including unbiased witnesses, can affect legal outcomes if it came to that. Again, very glad your wife was OK, particularly considering the amount of shock and damage, and wish a good outcome for you all.

Thanks for the good wishes.

I guess another thing to add is that the driver of the truck was charged, not my wife, so I guess he can bring these points up with his lawyer when/if he tries to fight the charge. Not sure how much of a case he has since everyone else was able to stop, even the oncoming traffic.

Anyways, with the OP, I really wanted to show how well built the Model 3 really is, it's just really unfortunate that my wife was the one who had to find out. This is about as bad as the impact could have been, from a large dump truck nonetheless, and she was able to walk away. It really deserves the high safety ratings that it has gotten.

 

[mswlogo]

Having driven emergency vehicles, that is also correct from the drivers stand point. The easy way to put it is, lights and sirens don't mean "I can break the law", it's more like, "I'd like permission to break the law if you all will stop and let me" No ambulance driver is blasting through an intersection whether it's red or green, on the reds we're always stopped or in very clear intersections crawling up to, then through them.

I think to many people don't know this and watch to much TV

 

[mswlogo]

Thanks for the good wishes.

I guess another thing to add is that the driver of the truck was charged, not my wife, so I guess he can bring these points up with his lawyer when/if he tries to fight the charge. Not sure how much of a case he has since everyone else was able to stop, even the oncoming traffic.

Anyways, with the OP, I really wanted to show how well built the Model 3 really is, it's just really unfortunate that my wife was the one who had to find out. This is about as bad as the impact could have been, from a large dump truck nonetheless, and she was able to walk away. It really deserves the high safety ratings that it has gotten.

Interesting the truck driver was charged. I don't think I'd share the video with them.
Be careful discussing it online.

 

[VQTRVA]

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to share this with everyone.

This past Friday, my wife was involved in an accident with a Mack truck while on her way to work. She was going southbound on a road and then stopped at an intersection to yield to an ambulance that had its lights on which was entering the intersection from the West. There was a large Mack truck behind her that couldn't stop in time. The impact caused her to roll a good distance right through the intersection. She was fortunate enough to walk away from the incident as the accident could have been a lot worse.

The car had actually sent me a message saying that there was a failure with the car and that it would stop driving, and also got a call from Tesla's roadside assistance to find out what was going on. But there were a few anxious minutes between me getting that and my wife not picking up her phone.

Luckily enough, I had a USB connected to it, so I was able to few the dashcam footage after we got to gather our belongings from the car afterwards. You can view the footage here: https://youtu.be/83VZfsYsQJQ

The right and left cameras really do add a lot to the picture. It would have been nice to have a rear one too, but I guess that'll happen in an update down the road.

Glad your wife is ok!

Thanks for the info!

 

[CRASHER]

Hope your wife is OK.
I developed neck pain a week after I was rear-ended 20 years ago, and after numerous treatments, it still hurts.
I am also from same area and sick of all these idiots driving heavy vehicles. On QEW they are only few feet behind.
In Ontario a commercial motor vehicles must maintain a minimum distance of at least 60 metres (200 ft.) between themselves and other vehicles when on a highway at a speed exceeding 60 km/h (40 mph), except when overtaking and passing another motor vehicle.
Trucks Handbook

 

[Darscot]

I guess another thing to add is that the driver of the truck was charged, not my wife, so I guess he can bring these points up with his lawyer when/if he tries to fight the charge. Not sure how much of a case he has since everyone else was able to stop, even the oncoming traffic.

Charged with what? I don't see anything he could be charged with, do you mean he got a ticket? I guess they could give him following too closely or some other minor infraction.

 

[LCR1]

It's easy to sit at our computers and analyze what happened and what she should have done. The reality is that at that moment she didn't have time to consider what the laws are and how they apply to her situation. She just reacted, and it is what it is. No one was hurt and it was really the best outcome considering a giant truck rammed her car. We will all have moments in our lives when we just have to react and deal with the consequences after- sometimes you will be glad you reacted the way you did, and other times you will wish you did what you really know you should have.

you're right, which is why people should be aware of the laws and what to do in an emergency before they get into those situations. What else are people doing when they drive? You can spend all the time we have when driving and play out scenarios, as most motorcyclists will tell you they play that game every time they get on a bike. "what do I do if this car pulls out in front of me? Would I have time to stop or change lanes?" "There's someone turning left, do the see me?" "I'm coming up to a stop light, is the person behind me stopping?" there's plenty of things to do and practice for emergency situations. If you're not practicing those situations you're asking for an incident like this. Every time someone pulls out in front of me I hit the breaks, LOOK for an exit, and LOOK to see if I'm going to get rear-ended. I've seen so many wrecks because someone blindly changes lanes to avoid something just to cause something themselves. Again, everyone has time to practice and plan for emergency situations so "She just reacted" means she reacted correctly.

 

[Iceman8]

Charged with what? I don't see anything he could be charged with, do you mean he got a ticket? I guess they could give him following too closely or some other minor infraction.

yeah, sorry, you're right, meant to say that he got a ticket...

 

[MountainPass]

you're right, which is why people should be aware of the laws and what to do in an emergency before they get into those situations. What else are people doing when they drive? You can spend all the time we have when driving and play out scenarios, as most motorcyclists will tell you they play that game every time they get on a bike. "what do I do if this car pulls out in front of me? Would I have time to stop or change lanes?" "There's someone turning left, do the see me?" "I'm coming up to a stop light, is the person behind me stopping?" there's plenty of things to do and practice for emergency situations. If you're not practicing those situations you're asking for an incident like this. Every time someone pulls out in front of me I hit the breaks, LOOK for an exit, and LOOK to see if I'm going to get rear-ended. I've seen so many wrecks because someone blindly changes lanes to avoid something just to cause something themselves. Again, everyone has time to practice and plan for emergency situations so "She just reacted" means she reacted correctly.

Motorcyclists are definitely more aware of what's happening on the road and thinking 5 steps ahead for every possible outcome than normal motorists. It makes sense since your life constantly depends on your situational awareness and reactions. Defensive/proactive driving.

 

[VQTRVA]

Why does this issue of regen brake lights always come up. People have been grabbing gears in standards to avoid braking since the dawn of the automobile. I personally think its a bad idea to rapidly decelerate on a green light in front of a very large heavy vehicle going down hill. Yes the truck is legally at fault but this is a very easy way to get people killed. People suggesting a dump truck can stop in its own length or should have just swerved is laughable.

No one is suggesting that.
But it's unclear if the truck wasn't following too closely & gave himself no chance to brake @ any given surprise.

 

[SMAlset]

It looks like its down hill, and trucks that big don't stop on a dime. Those trucks are always trying to maintain and control momentum. I think it's just a situation that there wasn't a lot he could do. Looks to me that the laws of physics are the cause of this one.

Not following closely and adjusting to road conditions should have been what he did. It's not like the Tesla pulled in front of him. He chose to keep that distance and caused an accident with some pretty expensive damage I would guess. He's lucky OPs wife wasn't injured by cross traffic or smashed into another vehicle on the other side of the intersection.

I've seen many drivers not give trucks the appropriate amount of clearance when pulling in front of them in traffic. This isn't one of those situations from what I can tell so not sympathy for that truck driver.

 

[CRASHER]

you're right, which is why people should be aware of the laws and what to do in an emergency before they get into those situations. What else are people doing when they drive? You can spend all the time we have when driving and play out scenarios, as most motorcyclists will tell you they play that game every time they get on a bike. "what do I do if this car pulls out in front of me? Would I have time to stop or change lanes?" "There's someone turning left, do the see me?" "I'm coming up to a stop light, is the person behind me stopping?" there's plenty of things to do and practice for emergency situations. If you're not practicing those situations you're asking for an incident like this. Every time someone pulls out in front of me I hit the breaks, LOOK for an exit, and LOOK to see if I'm going to get rear-ended. I've seen so many wrecks because someone blindly changes lanes to avoid something just to cause something themselves. Again, everyone has time to practice and plan for emergency situations so "She just reacted" means she reacted correctly.

Riding a bike is a different paradigm, I am bike rider too. I am extremely cautious while riding, as I know my disadvantages. But same thing should apply with commercial vehicle. They should be extra careful, know how much it would require them to stop. And besides there is a law for it too.

 

[Darscot]

Given the short distance it took to stop after impact, it looks like it could have easily avoided the collision. (could have swerved also...)

Rewatch the left side camera. It was not abruptly, it was smooth and the truck had the ability to stop in just over its own length.

No one is suggesting that.

Accidents happen and it people way too easily point fingers.

 

[SMAlset]

The ambulance had a police escort = serious. The police car did not even stop to check on ppl in the accident. Dunno why no siren.

I noticed that too when watching the right repeater camera and then looked for both emergency vehicles in the left repeater to see if they would stop of if the police car would go to check on the Tesla driver. Not sure what their protocol was but I was surprised they looked to have continued on their way. Probably radioed for another police car and ambulance. Any time someone gets hit by a Mac truck at some speed you know it isn't good, especially they could see the Tesla had slowed down to come to a stop.

OP haven't made it through the thread yet and don't normally hang out on the Canadian thread but the thread title was visible when I was in the community section and had to view once I saw it. Thankfully your wife is okay. Sure not perfect and in some pain. Hope she was checked out and if not she should be if nothing to establish her condition should she have any issues down the road. As we all know head injuries don't necessarily show up immediately.

Getting hit from behind (happened to me at least twice) is so shocking if you don't see it coming. I remember being kind of dazed and I just had a SUV hit me more or less from a stopped position when she accelerated thinking traffic had started moving when it hadn't. Sorry you got the fright of your life as well knowing something had happened to her in the car. Nice to hear how Tesla immediately responded.

I do want to thank you for posting about this along with the videos. The 3 cameras has been beneficial on a number of occasions already and glad we have them and hope they continue to improve. Any photos for the car's interior after the accident. Was wondering about the rear seat area if there was any intrusion. When I was going to order my car, crash ratings hadn't come out yet and I was wondering how it would do. Nothing better and more reassuring than to see the photos posted by owners after accidents they've been in so thanks for including yours into the public viewing. Best wishes to your wife. And thanks again for sharing.

 

[Iceman8]

If you watch the right repeater camera, as the car starts rolling along after the crash, you can see a fire truck and what I think are some police officers talking in the parking lot...I believe they were the ones to come and check on my wife after the accident, so I think there were enough officers around where the first ambulance could go on its way to the hospital

 

[Iceman8]

Oh, and I don't have any photos of how the rear car seats held up... There were two car seats there and we didn't bother taking them out...

 

[SMAlset]

@Iceman8 everyone has mentioned no sirens. Without trying to reread the thread or your posts, is that actually the case here? Obviously TelsaCam doesn't record sound so just going by the video I have no idea if in fact neither the ambulance or police car had their sirens on or not. Both certainly had their lights on. Glad to hear your wife had trained people there to look after her and assess her right there on the spot.

 

[Iceman8]

@Iceman8 everyone was mentioned no sirens. Without trying to reread the thread or your posts, is that actually the case here? Obviously TelsaCam doesn't record sound so just going by the video I have no idea if in fact neither the ambulance or police car had their sirens on or not. Both certainly had their lights on. Glad to hear your wife had trained people there to look after her and assess her right there on the spot.

Yeah, my wife told me that it was only the lights that were on... For whatever reason, they did not turn on the siren

 

[SMAlset]

If the car gets totalled, assuming it is at some lot right now for insurance to inspect, if you haven't read the stories lately, you'll want to do a reset on the car to erase any personal information you may have on it such as phone calls, addresses, calendars, etc.