NHTSA Investigates Deadly Newport Beach Tesla Crash

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has dispatched a special crash investigation team to probe the possibility that a Tesla involved in a Newport Beach crash that killed three people this month was operating on a partially automated driving system.

The deadly crash occurred on Wednesday, May 12th at about 12:45 a.m. on Pacific Coast Highway, near Newport Boulevard. The Newport Beach police arrived on scene to find that a 2022 Tesla Model S sedan had crashed into a curb and then hit construction equipment on the south side of the road. Two men and a woman were found dead in the car, and three construction workers suffered minor injuries.

The investigation is part of a larger inquiry by the NHTSA into crashes involving advanced driver assistance systems, such as Tesla’s Autopilot. In the past 6 years, the agency has assigned teams to 34 crashes in which the systems were either in use or suspected of operating. 

The NHTSA reports that 28 of the crashes involve Teslas. Fifteen people died in the crashes, with 14 of the deaths involving Teslas.

Moreover, in addition to the specific crashes, NHTSA is also investigating Tesla Autopilot crashes into emergency vehicles parked along roadways and the cars braking for no apparent reason.

Tesla warns drivers who opt to use Autopilot that the “Full Self-Driving” system cannot drive themselves and that drivers must be ready to intervene at all times.

Call an Orange County Car Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one has been injured or died in a car accident, especially in a car using a self-driving program, you may also be entitled to compensation. To ensure you get the full money damages you deserve, you need to consult with and hire an Orange County car accident attorney.

For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with an OC accident lawyer, please call the Law Offices of Samer Habbas at (888) 848-5084.