We survived a HORRIBLE accident thanks to our Tesla

[ktrivedi70]

Wow,,, glad you're ok. Must have been scary as hell. Just keep an eye out for
that lunatic Keef Wiffaneff (or whatever he calls himself) using pics of your accident as part of his deranged anti-Tesla crusade.

 

[Rockster]

This only reinforces my desire to put my daughter in a Tesla when she starts driving in a four years.

 

[McRat]

This only reinforces my desire to put my daughter in a Tesla when she starts driving in a four years.

You might also consider actual Defensive Driving classes. The state governments have very low standards for driver skill when it comes to crash avoidance.

Both my teens have spotless records so far (knock on wood) but they have more seat time and more training than a typical teen. Each had >5 times the requirement of time behind the wheel before being issued a full license, as well as more and better professional training besides the mandated training.

It goes back to the concept of a crash you don't have is the best safety mechanism ever engineered to date.

 

[bmah]

Thank you for sharing your story. Glad to hear that you and your wife are OK.

Bruce.

 

[Lyon]

Scary stuff man. Glad you guys are okay.

 

[RogerHScott]

Here's an interesting question: is a safer, more crumple-able car not only safer for the occupants but also for a car hitting it?
Basic physics would suggest that anything that reduces the shock (g-force) on the car hit should also do likewise for the car hitting.
It is, of course, great that the occupants are protected so well, but no one really wants others involved in the accident, however much
"at fault" they may be, to be seriously injured. So maybe more than just Tesla owners should be thankful for the safety of Tesla cars.

 

[bro1999]

Here's an interesting question: is a safer, more crumple-able car not only safer for the occupants but also for a car hitting it?
Basic physics would suggest that anything that reduces the shock (g-force) on the car hit should also do likewise for the car hitting.
It is, of course, great that the occupants are protected so well, but no one really wants others involved in the accident, however much
"at fault" they may be, to be seriously injured. So maybe more than just Tesla owners should be thankful for the safety of Tesla cars.

Well, a Tesla being more crump-able didn't help the occupants in the Honda that was involved in a head-on collision with a Model S:

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/apr/02/local/la-me-ln-laguna-beach-accident-20130402

A good example of a Model S protecting its occupants though. 2 men in the Honda were declared dead on the scene, while the S owner was treated for minor injuries.

 

[anticitizen13.7]

Well, a Tesla being more crump-able didn't help the occupants in the Honda that was involved in a head-on collision with a Model S:

A good example of a Model S protecting its occupants though. 2 men in the Honda were declared dead on the scene, while the S owner was treated for minor injuries.

Somewhat unfair.

A 4th Generation Honda Accord (circa 1989-1993) is a tin can would get crushed by any Honda Civic from the past 10 years. The crash structure designs 30 years ago just can't absorb and redirect crash energy the same as modern designs.

 

[grichard]

Well, my simpleminded answer is:

--If a car is safer by reason of crumple zones, that'd be good for the other car: the whole system decelerates more slowly, so less force on the occupants of both cars.

--If a car is safer by reason of greater mass, that'd be bad for the other car: the heavy car decelerates less; the other car decelerates more. Semis are safe for their drivers, but bad for cars that crash into them.

In the case of an MS, both probably contribute.

 

[ModelX]

So glad you are safe and uninjured! Hope your replacement car is ready soon!

 

[Rockster]

You might also consider actual Defensive Driving classes. The state governments have very low standards for driver skill when it comes to crash avoidance.

Both my teens have spotless records so far (knock on wood) but they have more seat time and more training than a typical teen. Each had >5 times the requirement of time behind the wheel before being issued a full license, as well as more and better professional training besides the mandated training.

It goes back to the concept of a crash you don't have is the best safety mechanism ever engineered to date.

Very true. My wife is a former Porsche racing instructor, so I'm letting her spearhead our daughter's defensive driver training.

 

[McRat]

Well, a Tesla being more crump-able didn't help the occupants in the Honda that was involved in a head-on collision with a Model S:

Head-on collision in Laguna Beach kills 2, closes road

A good example of a Model S protecting its occupants though. 2 men in the Honda were declared dead on the scene, while the S owner was treated for minor injuries.

Actually the two men on their way to work that day in the Accord were killed by a street racer.

Lawsuits say drivers raced before fatal LB crash

Safety? That Tesla is responsible for 2 deaths.

 

[RogerHScott]

Well, a Tesla being more crump-able didn't help the occupants in the Honda that was involved in a head-on collision with a Model S:

All we actually know is that it didn't help them enough. And any such discussion is the cart before the horse if you haven't established whether people were wearing seat belts. If they weren't, assume they're dead. If they were, there's a very good chance they're alive.

It drives me nuts that local news reports of teenage driving accidents don't specify whether the driver (and/or passengers) were wearing seat belts, particularly in case of severe injuries or deaths. Other kids hearing about these accidents need to make the connection: no seat belt --> no survive.

 

[ggnykk]

Well, a Tesla being more crump-able didn't help the occupants in the Honda that was involved in a head-on collision with a Model S:

Head-on collision in Laguna Beach kills 2, closes road

A good example of a Model S protecting its occupants though. 2 men in the Honda were declared dead on the scene, while the S owner was treated for minor injuries.

the heavier car always win in a car crash.

 

[eloder]

the heavier car always win in a car crash.

Not true at all. While it's a big factor, it's far from the only determining factor.

Driver death rates

Case and point, smart cars (smallest and one of the lightest on the road) have less fatalities per crash than a Chevy Silverado full-sized pickup truck, even after normalizing for the number of seats available on both vehicles.

A heavy safe car will always be the best (Model S), but a well-designed small car (smart) will still trump out an unsafe larger car (Chevy Silverado).

Also OP, definitely glad to hear you're safe! I think safety is the number one reason I'm going for a Model 3 next. I'm normally the type who drives small (very small) cars, but the possibility of an accident makes me want to change that habit.

 

[ggnykk]

Not true at all. While it's a big factor, it's far from the only determining factor.

Driver death rates

Case and point, smart cars (smallest and one of the lightest on the road) have less fatalities per crash than a Chevy Silverado full-sized pickup truck, even after normalizing for the number of seats available on both vehicles.

A heavy safe car will always be the best (Model S), but a well-designed small car (smart) will still trump out an unsafe larger car (Chevy Silverado).

Also OP, definitely glad to hear you're safe! I think safety is the number one reason I'm going for a Model 3 next. I'm normally the type who drives small (very small) cars, but the possibility of an accident makes me want to change that habit.

You should take a look at the annual crash report at IIHS.org. It is proven that a heavier car is generally safer in real world crash statistic as well as proof from physics formulas (Kinetic energy = 1/2 x mv^2, where m=mass, and v=speed. The car that has higher kinetic energy will suffer less deceleration (thus injury) in a 2-car crash scenario)

 

[Rhyder]

Scary stuff. Glad you and your wife are okay and that you are moving forward with another Tesla!

 

[hcoon2000]

My accident was not nearly as bad as yours but nevertheless I won't have my car back for at least 45 days due to part delays. I share the group consensus that I am happy you both walked away unscathed.

When I lost my model S two weeks ago today due to a collision I was very upset. But while waiting for the policeman to arrive I had the opportunity to get to know the person that just ruined my day and the next few months. I realized that accidents do happen due to driver error. I learned that day how safe the Model is really is.

The gentleman that hit me is an art teacher from out of state who was visiting his daughter for the weekend. He was driving her Buick SUV. He went to a store in an area that he was unfamiliar both with the direction of the roadway he was about to enter as well as which lane to drive in. He happened to come into the middle lane which I was using at the time he made his right on red. I slowed as much as I could but the car behind me could not slow fast enough, so I had to allow myself to be hit in the front right bumper because there was a car to my left in addition to the one behind me. If I had not slowed down he would have cause a three lane accident on a bridge overpass.

When I was in the collision center a few hours later I realized how lucky I was to walk away from the accident. It happened in a split second. The Model S is the best, safest, and most fun car to drive on the planet.

 

[Pollux]

Disagree!

[....] roof structure so damn strong that it breaks the friggin' roof crush fixture at NHTSA. I say no more.

Do we know whether this statement applies equally to the pano roof? (He asks, nervously, loving his pano roof.)

Thanks,
Alan

 

[trils0n]

Pano roof is just as crashworthy. The sheetmetal on a regular roof doesn't contribute in any meaningful way to the structure of the car.