Prospective Tesla Drivers Have More Car Crashes Than Anyone Else: Study [Update]

A new stat has emerged to set Tesla bros alight on social media platforms around the world: prospective Tesla drivers are involved in crashes more than the drivers of any other car brand, a LendingTree analysis reveals.

For its analysis, LendingTree analyzed tens of millions of insurance quotes involving 30 different automakers between the dates November 14, 2022 and November 14, 2023. That study revealed that Tesla drivers have 23.54 accidents per 1,000 drivers; the EV maker is followed by Ram (22.76) and Subaru (20.90).

That being said, the LendingTree analysis goes deeper than just looking at accidents; in addition to accidents, it also accounted for DUIs, speeding violations, and other citations. LendingTree calls those “incidents,” and Ram drivers had more driving incidents per 1000 drivers than other brands, coming in at 32.90. For reference, Tesla follows closely behind with 31.13.

Tesla drivers looking for insurance also had more “incidents” than any other in 11 different states: Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Again, that means Tesla is only second to Ram in that category as well.

It’s worth noting that the LendingTree analysis doesn’t actually look into the causes of the crashes in question. That means it’s not delving into any mechanical or technological issues that could have resulted in a crash, nor does it determine which party is at fault in multi-car collisions. While that theoretically could mean that Tesla drivers are just especially good at being punted by their fellow drivers, the reality is likely somewhat different.

As this study was released, almost every Tesla ever built has been recalled as a result of its Autopilot technology. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has determined that Autopilot doesn’t do enough to prevent blatant misuse of the program, which could result in an accident for the person behind the wheel.

Update Thursday Dec. 21, 4:40 p.m. ET: LendingTree has clarified that its statistics regarding Tesla accident rates were gleaned from prospective Tesla drivers looking to insure their vehicles; this takes into account past accidents that may not have occurred in a Tesla. These drivers were simply looking to insure their Teslas; the article has been corrected to reflect that these are prospective Tesla drivers, not necessarily current Tesla drivers. The point still stands that folks looking to insure their Teslas have higher accident rates.