A woman who had never driven an electric vehicle before went to test-drive a Model Y but was sent out alone even though she had requested that a company representative accompany her. Eventually, she ended up crashing into a hair salon, which then caught fire. Having suffered injuries, the woman has filed a lawsuit against Tesla and two of its representatives/agents for $10.3 million.
According to a report by CarComplaints, the woman from Virginia, plaintiff Alemzewd Lawgalet, was test-driving the Tesla Model Y on September 21, 2024, in Arlington, but she was reportedly not informed about the vehicle’s acceleration modes, nor was she warned about the regenerative braking feature that slows down the vehicle when the driver lifts their foot off the accelerator pedal.
The lawsuit states that the plaintiff informed Tesla’s representatives (John Doe 1 and John Doe 2) that this was her first time driving an EV, but they insisted that it was the same as driving a gas-powered vehicle and allowed her to go alone on the test drive, despite requesting a representative to accompany her.
During the test drive, while driving on I-395, the plaintiff was caught by surprise due to the sudden deceleration she experienced when she lifted her foot off the accelerator pedal at 55 mph. She then decided to return to the Tesla service center.
Image credit: Dave Statter on X
However, when starting from a traffic light, “the vehicle lurched forward at an extreme speed and horsepower compared to the force placed on the accelerator,” according to the lawsuit. This caused the plaintiff to lose control of the Tesla and crash into the front of a hair salon filled with customers and employees, leading to a fire inside.
The lawsuit stated that the plaintiff “suffered serious and permanent bodily injuries, which have caused and will continue to cause physical and mental pain and suffering.” The Tesla Model Y’s regenerative braking system was blamed for scaring the plaintiff when the vehicle slowed as soon as she lifted her foot off the accelerator.
The lawsuit holds Tesla and its representatives responsible for the crash, with the lawsuit claiming that the vehicle’s acceleration modes contributed to the incident. However, it does not mention that the test-drive vehicle was in “Insane” mode. The plaintiff also claims she was never informed about the different drive modes before getting behind the wheel. The lawsuit stated:
“Defendants did not inform Plaintiff of the properties of varying acceleration modes prior to the test drive. Defendants did not inform Plaintiff of which acceleration mode she was in prior to the test drive. Defendants did not show Plaintiff the display features to show her which acceleration mode the vehicle was in. Defendants did not show Plaintiff how to change the acceleration mode that the vehicle was in.”
The lawsuit also targets the two Tesla representatives, who failed to provide the plaintiff with the necessary information before the test drive. It added:
“Defendant John Doe 1 and/or Defendant John Doe 2’s negligent acts/omissions include, but are not limited to, giving Plaintiff a motor vehicle without informing her of how to operate it, failing to accompany Plaintiff on a test drive, failing to instruct Plaintiff on the operation of the vehicle, failing to instruct Plaintiff on the vehicle features, telling Plaintiff that the vehicle operated the same as a gas vehicle, and other acts/omissions which demonstrate a lack of reasonable care in their dealings with Plaintiff.”
WATCH: Here’s video
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from the red Tesla that ran into a business Saturday afternoon on Army Navy Dr. & S. 12th St. The video starts as the car barrels through the intersection toward the store fronts on the ground floor of the Lenox Club Apartments. One person was seriously… https://t.co/315Iu7jMP3 pic.twitter.com/XVeNWei3y1— Dave Statter (@STATter911) September 23, 2024