New data and analysis from LendingTree reveals an alarming surge in Tesla crashes, raising serious questions about the intersection of fraudulent autonomous driving claims and impaired drivers.

To begin, Tesla is ranked the worst crash data car in nine states, corresponding to it being the worst where it sells the most.

Tesla’s rates per 1,000 drivers:

1. Total Incidents: 36.94 (up from 31.13)
   • This includes ALL types of incidents: accidents, DUIs, speeding, and citations
   • This makes Tesla the worst overall brand for total incidents
2. Crashes Only: 26.67 (up from 23.54)
   • This is just crashes (some say accidents)
   • Tesla also ranks worst for crashes specifically

Or to put it simply:

• Tesla = worst overall incident rate at 36.94 per 1,000 drivers
• Tesla = worst crash rate at 26.67 per 1,000 drivers
• Tesla = suddenly third-worst DUI rate at 2.23 per 1,000 drivers

Tesla DUI Numbers Most Shocking

Tesla’s rate related to DUI stands out alone among all brands. It skyrocketed by 118% in just one year, climbing from 1.02 to 2.23 incidents per 1,000 drivers.

This dramatic increase comes against a backdrop of controversial messaging about Tesla’s autonomous capabilities, including CEO statements since 2016 suggesting drivers can remove their hands from the wheel or even sleep while the car is in motion. Notably, after he promised by 2017 to deliver sleep-at-the-wheel and failed, he just kept repeating the lie as if unaccountable for words.

Autonomous Driving Lies

Suffice it to say Tesla’s CEO has made numerous public statements suggesting drivers are safer letting their vehicle alone handle complex driving situations, such as being incapacitated. His claims sharply contrast with Tesla’s official statements, which require drivers to remain alert and maintain control of the vehicle at all times.

The combination of these two, known within disinformation analysis as toxic shock, is the worst of all possible options. An official statement is far less likely to be heeded if the CEO contradicts it openly. If there was no official warning it would be better, because the CEO would be believed less.

Killer Lies

The combination of messaging about autonomous capabilities and rising DUI rates suggests a potentially lethal misconception: that Tesla’s autonomous features make it safer to drive while impaired. This dangerous assumption ignores critical facts:

1. Tesla’s autonomous features require an alert, sober driver
2. No current autonomous system is approved for operation by an impaired driver
3. Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features are driver assistance tools, not replacements, and dangerously inferior (e.g. camera-only) compared to most other car brands

In case it’s not obvious enough, what Elon Musk says is absolutely false. His false statements encourage impaired drivers to take unnecessary and illegal risks.

Public Safety Implications

Tesla owners face potentially higher insurance premiums due to rising incident rates, affecting everyone. DUI charges apply regardless of autonomous feature usage, and legal experts warn that autopilot usage doesn’t provide any defense in DUI cases.

This means, despite fancy technological double-speak in public statements, the fundamental rules of safe driving remain in direct contradiction to the Tesla CEO’s wildly unaccountable and untrustworthy statements.

• Never drive under the influence
• Always maintain full attention on the road
• Don’t rely on autonomous features for impaired driving
• Arrange alternative transportation when drinking

As Tesla’s DUI rates continue to climb, it’s crucial to remember that for the foreseeable future no amount of technology makes impaired driving safe. I’m not a lawyer but they all tell me Elon Musk keeps the money for lies because he knows the responsibility for safe operation remains with a driver, regardless of his shady car salesman public statements suggesting otherwise.