Tesla Car Saves 4 Lives after Falling 250 Feet Off Cliff, as Safety Is a Core Design Priority

Image: Scott Budman

A Tesla car saved the lives of four after falling 250 feet off a cliff, as it is designed with safety as a core priority. Two adults and two children sustained non-life-threatening injuries, which is evidence of the thoughtfulness of every detail of Tesla cars.

Two adults and two children, ages 4 and 9, were rescued from a Tesla that fell 250 feet off a cliff Monday morning in San Mateo County, California, officials said. The car was traveling south on the Pacific Coast Highway when it skidded off a cliff on Devil's Slide, south of the Tom Lantos Tunnel, and landed near the water's edge below, Cal Fire's San Mateo-Santa Cruz division reported via NBC News.

The car flipped and landed on its wheels in the fall, CAL FIRE/Coastside Fire Incident Commander Brian Pottenger said. This was one of the main factors that helped the car protect its occupants, as the wheels absorbed much of the force of the impact while protecting the battery from damage as well. Witnesses saw the accident and called 911. When rescue crews descended to the crash site, they were able to see movement in the front seat through binoculars, which meant someone was alive.

“We were actually very shocked when we found survivable victims in the vehicle. So, that actually was a really hopeful moment for us,” Pottenger said. He told NBC News it’s “very, very rare” for there to be survivors of such a steep fall. “It's fairly common that we get vehicles off these cliffs in the area south of Devil's Slide,” he added.

Firefighters called in helicopters to help get the survivors to safety. While they waited, firefighters descended to the scene and rescued two children. Pottenger said both children were in car seats, which played a key role in saving their lives. “The car seats actually did their job. Amazingly, they stayed in place. They were intact, and there was no damage to them,” he said.

From a different perspective pic.twitter.com/1zk9B38yNY

— Brock Sommerset (@BrockSommerset) January 3, 2023

The car (white Tesla) had four people inside. We’re told 2 adults, 2 kids.
All four rescued and taken to the hospital with injuries.
Calfire says the fact that they were rescued alive “is a miracle.”(2) pic.twitter.com/2RjhJwDhBe

— scott budman (@scottbudman) January 2, 2023

All four Tesla passengers were hospitalized at Stanford Medical Center. Pottenger said the children suffered minor musculoskeletal injuries, while the adults sustained moderate injuries in several parts of the body. All were awake and conscious when they were transferred to the hospital. The details of the incident are being investigated.

© 2023, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.

_____________________________

We appreciate your readership! Please share your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Article edited by @SmokeyShorts; follow him on Twitter

Follow @EvaFoxU