NHTSA Complaint #11300366 — 2016 TESLA MODEL X

ON JANUARY 28, 2019 I BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY IN MY 2016 TESLA X, BRAKED, STOPPED, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND BARELY, SLOWLY STARTED DOWN MY LANE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT FULL SPEED DOWN THE LANE. I TRIED THE BRAKE TWICE BUT IT DID NOTHING TO SLOW THE ACCELERATION.APPROXIMATELY 75 YARDS DOWN THE LANE THE TESLA ENTERED THE CROSS STREET BELOW AND CLIPPED ANOTHER CAR, DEMOLISHED A LARGE BANK OF MAILBOXES ACROSS THE STREET, TOOK BRIEFLY TO THE AIR SEVERAL FEET DUE TO THE HILLSIDE THERE, HIT A LARGE CEDAR TREE, GLANCED OFF AND FINALLY STOPPED NOSE DOWN, HIGH SIDED ON A LARGE LANDSCAPE BOULDER. BUT FOR THE BOULDER, I WOULD HAVE CONTINUED DOWN INTO THE DEEP RAVINE BEHIND THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE. THE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED DURING THESE EVENTS. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE AND DIAGNOSED WITH A T-12 SPINAL COMPRESSION FRACTURE, WHICH IS STILL PAINFUL A YEAR LATER. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. POLICE REPORT AND MEDICAL RECORDS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.