The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that it will investigate a fatal Tesla crash in Newport Beach that left three dead in the vehicle and injured three construction workers.
According to a CNN news report, the NHTSA team that conducts in-depth crash investigations is looking into the circumstances of the fatal crash and whether Tesla’s driver-assist technology was active during the collision. Local police have declined to say if Tesla’s Autopilot system was active at the time of the crash.
Auto-Defect Investigations
NHTSA typically conducts many crash investigations. While some are deliberately selected, such as this Tesla crash, others are more random and intended to identify safety problems and evaluate how effective motor vehicle standards are. NHTSA’s in-depth crash investigation team has 42 open investigations related to driver-assist technology, 35 of which involve Tesla. The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation, which identifies unsafe vehicles and oversees recalls, has requested an investigation into the Newport Beach crash.
The Newport Beach Tesla crash occurred early on May 12 when a Tesla Model S struck a curb on Pacific Coast Highway and crashed into construction equipment. Three construction workers suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Tesla’s Autopilot feature has been very popular among drivers. But the system has limitations, which safety experts have extensively critiqued. Tesla vehicles have had hundreds of reports of unintended braking.
Why an Auto Defect Lawyer is Important
If you have been injured or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident, which you suspect was caused by a defective auto, getting an auto defect lawyer on your side early on in the process is imperative.
First and foremost, you need to make sure that the vehicle involved in the crash is preserved and unaltered. In this way, an expert can examine it for all evidence, including design flaws, manufacturing flaws, and malfunctions. The vehicle can often be the most important piece of evidence in a car crash.
If a defective vehicle part caused or contributed to your injuries, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your injuries and damages. In such cases, victims can file what is known as a product liability claim against the manufacturer of a defective product. An experienced auto defect lawyer can help injured victims and their families better understand their legal rights and options.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/19/cars/nhtsa-tesla-crash-california/index.html
