According to a new study, Tesla drivers in the US have experienced a higher accident rate than drivers of any other brand in the past year.
Research on 30 automakers by LendingTree reveals that the Elon Musk-led automaker reported 24 accidents per 1,000 drivers.
Ram drivers ranked second with about 23 accidents, while Subaru drivers came in third with approximately 21 accidents per 1,000 drivers.
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Additionally, BMW drivers were identified as having the highest rate of driving under the influence (DUI).
The report finds about three DUIs per 1,000 BMW drivers annually, double the rate of Ram drivers, who ranked second in this category.
The study considered various driving incidents, including accidents, DUIs, speeding, and citations.
It indicates that Ram drivers had the highest overall incident rate, while Tesla drivers held the second-highest incident rate in the US.
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LendingTree found that such incidents could lead to increased insurance rates.
One speeding ticket potentially caused a 10 to 20 percent insurance rate hike and accidents resulting in around a 40 percent increase.
DUIs lead to a rate increase of 60 percent or more.
Based on insurance quotes rather than accident data, the study suggested that certain vehicle brands may attract riskier drivers.
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The findings come amid a recall of Tesla’s Autopilot software, affecting approximately two million electric vehicles.
Tesla’s Autopilot, an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), has been a focal point of safety discussions.
Tesla boss Elon Musk has asserted that Autopilot users are less likely to crash than average car drivers.
However, third-party verification of this claim has not been allowed.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) previously identified safety defects in Tesla’s Autosteer feature, part of Autopilot, and raised concerns about driver misuse.
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Despite disagreements with NHTSA’s findings, Tesla agreed to a voluntary software recall and pledged safety improvements through over-the-air updates.
The company emphasized the importance of driver attention while using Autopilot.
Tesla has not responded to inquiries regarding the LendingTree study and the increased accident and incident rates among Tesla drivers.
