A Tesla Model 3 crashed going over 100 mph, launching battery hardware hundreds of feet, while the driver survives to tell the tale. Photo: Corvallis Police Department
Teslas have been known for their immense safety, though we hope drivers never have to put that to the test. Fortunately, when they do, they typically show how safe they really are.
On Wednesday, a Tesla Model 3 wrecked in Corvallis, Oregon going over 100 mph, and the driver managed to walk away sustaining only minor injuries, as reported by the Corvallis Police Department (CPD).
The story, as shared on Reddit by user u/chancycat, also included the fact that battery hardware flew hundreds of feet, crashing through nearby houses, and even starting a small fire.
In the press release, CPD wrote “The suspect was driving eastbound on NW Walnut Blvd in excess of 100 mph in a 2019 Tesla [Model 3] when he lost control and left the roadway and traveled in excess of 300 feet before coming to a rest.”
They continued, “The vehicle was destroyed after shearing a power pole off at the base as well as striking and knocking over two trees and a telephone junction box. The damage from the collision caused the batteries from the Tesla to enter two different residences by breaking through the windows, one landing on a person’s lap and the second landing on a bed, catching the bedding on fire. A tire was ripped from the car during the collision and struck the second story siding of a nearby apartment complex with such force that it ruptured the water pipes within the wall, destroying the bathroom to the apartment and flooding the downstairs portion of the apartment as well.”
Safety is our primary design goal
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 19, 2020
In response to the wreck, Tesla CEO Elon Musk chimed in, emphasizing the priority of safety in the team’s designs. While it’s no pretty sight, it’s relieving to see how safe Tesla models actually are. And they’re likely to only get safer as the years go by.
