After a tragic crash on Toronto’s Lake Shore Boulevard last month that killed four young people, questions have surfaced about Tesla’s safety features, specifically why some passengers couldn’t escape when the vehicle caught fire.
Rick Harper, a Canada Post worker, managed to save a fifth passenger by breaking a window with a metal pole. “You couldn’t open the doors,” Harper said, explaining that the woman inside appeared desperate to get out, reports the Toronto Star. The crash was said to have involved high speeds.
Tesla’s safety features were explained by Transport Canada spokesperson Flavio Sachett Nienow, who highlighted that Tesla vehicles are equipped with manual door releases for emergencies. These allow people to open doors even if the car loses electrical power. However, serious crashes can impact people’s ability to reach the release due to injuries or vehicle damage.
Here’s how the system works:
If this happens, first responders or bystanders can break the tempered glass in Tesla’s windows to reach the manual door release. Tesla designs these windows specifically so they can be broken in emergencies.
Nienow also emphasized that Teslas are engineered for emergency situations, with unique features to aid firefighters and paramedics.
Tesla has worked directly with emergency personnel to ensure safe responses during incidents, and their approach to safety goes “beyond what most automakers provide,” said David Schmitz, captain with the Calgary Fire Department and chairman of Alberta Vehicle Extraction Association.
He added, “Tesla is an amazing car company that is way ahead of anyone else in my opinion from a first-responder perspective.â€
While this tragic event raised concerns, Tesla’s proactive work with safety teams demonstrates a commitment to innovation in vehicle safety. You never hear about other vehicle brands in car crash headlines, but only Tesla because the latter generates more clicks and pageviews.
