A new analysis of federal data challenges Elon Musk's claims about Tesla vehicles being the “safest cars on the road.” According to a report by automotive search engine iSeeCars, Tesla has the highest rate of involvement in fatal accidents among all car brands. The report is based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

The iSeeCars analysis identifies Tesla as having the “highest fatal accident rate by brand,” followed by Kia, Buick, Dodge, and Hyundai. However, the report suggests that driver behavior, rather than vehicle design, could be a significant factor. “It's possible these high fatal accident rates reflect driver behavior as much or more than vehicle design,” the report notes.

Karl Brauer, Executive Analyst at iSeeCars, emphasized that driver conduct plays a crucial role in safety. “The biggest contributor to occupant safety is avoiding a crash, and the biggest factor in crash avoidance is driver behavior,” he said. Factors such as speed, alertness, and sobriety are essential for crash prevention, regardless of the vehicle.

While the iSeeCars findings are striking, they add to a complicated picture of Tesla's safety record. A separate report from EpicVIN in August claimed that Tesla drivers were the least likely to suffer fatal injuries, despite the high rate of fatal crashes. This contradiction highlights the complexity of interpreting crash data, even when sourced from the same FARS database.

Tesla's reliance on automated software, including its Autopilot system, has raised additional safety concerns. A 2022 NHTSA report revealed that Teslas accounted for 70% of crashes involving driver-assist systems over a 12-month period. Further scrutiny in 2023 found “critical safety gaps” in Autopilot linked to hundreds of crashes and fatalities.

Federal investigations into Tesla are ongoing, with both the NHTSA and the Department of Justice examining the company's safety practices. These probes, alongside Musk's broader regulatory challenges, underscore the high stakes for Tesla as questions about its vehicles' safety persist.