According to a recent study by LendingTree, Tesla drivers in the US were involved in accidents at a higher rate than drivers of any other vehicle brand over the past year. The study analyzed quotes from people seeking insurance for their own vehicles and excluded accident or incident data involving drivers of rental cars. Tesla drivers had an accident rate of 24 accidents per 1,000 drivers from mid-November 2022 to mid-November 2023, the highest among the 30 automotive brands analyzed. Ram drivers and Subaru drivers followed with accident rates of about 23 and 21 accidents per 1,000 drivers, respectively.
The study did not pinpoint reasons for the varying accident rates among brands but suggested that certain types of vehicles might attract riskier drivers. LendingTree also found that BMW drivers were the most likely to engage in driving under the influence, with about 3 DUIs per 1,000 drivers in a year, twice the rate of Ram drivers, who ranked second in this category.
The findings come on the heels of a recall by Tesla for its Autopilot software, impacting around 2 million electric vehicles. Tesla’s Autopilot is an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) designed to assist with steering, acceleration, and braking. The LendingTree study did not establish a direct link between Tesla’s Autopilot system and the higher accident rate among Tesla drivers, but it coincides with ongoing scrutiny and concerns over the safety of advanced driver assistance systems.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has previously claimed that a Tesla driver using Autopilot is about 10 times less likely to crash than a driver of an average car. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducted a two-year investigation and found safety defects in Tesla’s Autosteer feature, a part of Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD). The NHTSA concluded that Tesla drivers can easily misuse Autosteer and may not always know if it is engaged or switched off. Tesla agreed to a voluntary software recall and pledged safety improvements to Autosteer through over-the-air updates.
Tesla has not responded to requests for comments on the LendingTree study and the higher accident rates among Tesla drivers.
