The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the Tesla fatal car crash that occurred in May of 2016. The Tesla semi-automated car driven by Joshua Brown crashed into a tractor-trailer and hit it broadside as the trailer made a left turn. More than a year later after the crash, in September 2017, the NTSB stated that Tesla should have had more operation limitations on drivers of semi-automatic cars.

Facts About the Tesla Fata Car Crash

The New York Post reported that the accident occurred in Williston, Florida (southwest of Gainesville) at an intersection. Joshua Brown had set the cruise control for 74 mph two minutes before the crash occurred. The speed limit was 65 mph and neither the driver nor the autopilot sensors noticed the tractor-trailer and consequently neither applied the brakes. An under-ride accident occurred with the car passing under the trailer.

Tesla’s Response to the Accident

In June 2016, Tesla said that Autopilot “is not perfect and still requires the driver to remain alert.”

Brown’s family released a state in September that stated, “We heard numerous times that the car killed our son. That is simply not the case,” the family’s statement said. “There was a small window of time when neither Joshua nor the Tesla features noticed the truck making the left-hand turn in front of the car.”

The statement went on to say, “People die every day in car accidents. Change always comes with risks, and zero tolerance for deaths would totally stop innovation and improvements.”

The family’s lawyer and spokesperson for Tesla declined to answer whether Tesla and the family had reached a legal settlement.

NTSB Holds Tesla Accountable

Certainly the truck driver and car driver had responsibility in not noticing each other’s vehicles. However, the NTSB also holds Tesla accountable. The Board believes the car needs safeguards such as the following:

• Ensuring drivers paid attention and preventing over reliance on the automatic driving.
• Allowing drivers only to use the system on highways and limited-access roads as the owner’s manual recommends.
• Restricting use on roadways with cross traffic since the autopilot system does not reliably detect cross traffic.
• Including further limitations to prevent drivers from misusing the system.

Semi-automatic cars are the bridge between driver controlled cars and completely automated cars. Accidents can occur until the correct balance is achieved and automation changes can actually prevent human errors.

Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP focuses its practice primarily on personal injury cases.

On July 20, two cars were involved in a deadly crash on Long Island Montauk Highway and South Country Road. The vehicles were going around a dangerous curve that has become infamous for crash fatalities.

Newsday reported that a Shirley man, Gregory Goodley, age 45 was driving a 2015 Ford Mustang and lost control of his vehicle when turning a sharp curve near South Country Road. It was around 2:00 a.m. when he crashed into a Bellport woman’s 2009 Ford. First responders pronounced Gregory dead at the scene. The woman, Rebecca Davis, age 22 was trapped inside her car. Emergency workers worked to extract her from the car and airlifted her to Stony Brook University hospital. Her injuries were serious.

Other Fatalities at the Long Island Montauk Highway Site

• According to the New York Post, the recent fatality is the third occurring at this curve on Montauk Highway CR 80. Three other fatal crashes included:
• Orlando Heinrecker, age 35, was killed at the curve when a crash involving a drunk drier caused him to be ejected from his vehicle in January of 2015.
• Scott Albrecht died in a collision in December of 2010 when a drunk driver crossed into his lane and smashed into his car.
• Another news report indicated a fatal accident occurred here in 2003.

Surveillance cameras at A&D Auto Collision recorded the July 20 accident. A&D is located directly across the street from where the accident occurred. Ironically, Gregory Goodley’s car almost crashed at the exact location of a roadside memorial for an earlier fatal accident victim. Both residents and business owners complain that the hazardous curve has caused dozens of accidents in the past years. They have requested stop signs or traffic lights as a measure to slow traffic down when approaching this curve. The posted speed limit is 50 miles per hour. One resident has even seen cars passing school buses there when buses have their stop signs up.

Apparently Malcolm Stewart, who formerly owned a nearby appliance store, has expressed his concerns about the dangers of this to the Brookhaven Town officials, but nothing has been done.

For Serious or Fatal Car Accidents Seek Legal Help

Negligent parties can be held accountable for accidents that result in serious injury or death. Sackstein Sackstein & Lee, LLP has extensive experience dealing with car accidents and can help you recover compensation too offset medical and other costs associated with tragic car accidents.