Safer than bomb shelter? Internet stunned after Elon Musk's Tesla Model 3 survives a massive tree collapse
Sneha Kumari | Aug 03, 2025, 15:57 IST
Highlight of the story: A Tesla Model 3 owner miraculously survived after a massive tree crashed onto his parked car while he was inside. Unharmed, he praised Tesla's safety and vowed to buy another. Pictures of the incident, shared by X (formerly called Twitter), sparked online discussions about Tesla's build quality.
In a miraculous incident, a Tesla owner got more than he bargained for while enjoying his coffee when suddenly a massive tree uprooted and came crashing down directly onto his Model 3. Fortunately, the owner of the car escaped unharmed, and now he plans to buy another Tesla, praising the car's reputation as one of the safest vehicles on the road. The pictures of the incident have been shared on X (formerly called Twitter); the user under the name @niccruzpatane has now gone viral.
Later, the post was reshared by Tesla's official X account, saying that the cars at Tesla are engineered to be the safest vehicles on the road.
They went on to explain that the cars are built with advanced engineering, including ultra-strong Tesla Glass that can withstand four times the vehicle's weight, and these cars are designed to protect drivers and passengers even in the most unexpected accidents.
X users hail the safety of the car, and one said, "Folks complaining that FSD is bad should just drive the car and remain in control of the car."
Another added, "So basically Teslas are now competing with bomb shelters."
According to an old Reddit post that highlighted a question of Tesla's safety, stating if a Ford F350 and a Tesla Model 3 crashed head-on, would the Tesla occupants sustain fewer injuries? The post sparked a long debate, where some slammed the safety issues in Tesla while others lauded the car, saying it's 'damn safe'.
One user in the thread tagged an old safety story of a Tesla Model 3 of someone who shared, "Got t-boned by a pickup guy that decided stop signs just didn't apply to him. Cops said he had to be going 30 mph when he hit me on the driver's side door."
"Did it with such force that he knocked me into two utility poles, one of which I took out. We were trapped inside as none of the doors could open manually. Had to crawl out the window. Good times. I will say this, I'm pretty sure the car saved our lives. My son had no injuries whatsoever, I just have a bruised knee. So, if you ever want to know for certain what totaled is, this is it."
While another added, "The model 3 isn't safe at all . The post crash data might look good but it is the pre crash issues that the model 3 fails in. Having all the driver information and some of the important controls on a touch screen instead of on steering wheel controls and a display behind the wheel is absolutely distracting and dangerous. It's caused quite a few crashes and is as dangerous as using your phone while driving."
Q. Can Tesla's roof and glass really withstand the weight of a falling tree or another vehicle?
While tree strikes are rare, multiple incidents involving Teslas remaining intact after severe roof impacts have been shared and praised online.
Q. What official crash test ratings does Tesla have?
According to Business Insider, NHTSA (U.S. government safety agency) awarded 5‑star overall ratings to Tesla’s Model S, Model X, and Model 3. Notably, Model 3 also scored 5 stars in every subcategory tested—including frontal, side, and rollover crash performance.
For the latest and more interesting auto news, keep reading Indiatimes Auto.
Teslas are engineered to be the safest vehicles on the road
Later, the post was reshared by Tesla's official X account, saying that the cars at Tesla are engineered to be the safest vehicles on the road.
They went on to explain that the cars are built with advanced engineering, including ultra-strong Tesla Glass that can withstand four times the vehicle's weight, and these cars are designed to protect drivers and passengers even in the most unexpected accidents.
X users hail the safety of the car, and one said, "Folks complaining that FSD is bad should just drive the car and remain in control of the car."
Another added, "So basically Teslas are now competing with bomb shelters."
Are Tesla cars the 'safest cars on the road'?
According to an old Reddit post that highlighted a question of Tesla's safety, stating if a Ford F350 and a Tesla Model 3 crashed head-on, would the Tesla occupants sustain fewer injuries? The post sparked a long debate, where some slammed the safety issues in Tesla while others lauded the car, saying it's 'damn safe'.
One user in the thread tagged an old safety story of a Tesla Model 3 of someone who shared, "Got t-boned by a pickup guy that decided stop signs just didn't apply to him. Cops said he had to be going 30 mph when he hit me on the driver's side door."
"Did it with such force that he knocked me into two utility poles, one of which I took out. We were trapped inside as none of the doors could open manually. Had to crawl out the window. Good times. I will say this, I'm pretty sure the car saved our lives. My son had no injuries whatsoever, I just have a bruised knee. So, if you ever want to know for certain what totaled is, this is it."
Internet split on whether
While another added, "The model 3 isn't safe at all . The post crash data might look good but it is the pre crash issues that the model 3 fails in. Having all the driver information and some of the important controls on a touch screen instead of on steering wheel controls and a display behind the wheel is absolutely distracting and dangerous. It's caused quite a few crashes and is as dangerous as using your phone while driving."
FAQs
Q. Can Tesla's roof and glass really withstand the weight of a falling tree or another vehicle?
While tree strikes are rare, multiple incidents involving Teslas remaining intact after severe roof impacts have been shared and praised online.
Q. What official crash test ratings does Tesla have?
According to Business Insider, NHTSA (U.S. government safety agency) awarded 5‑star overall ratings to Tesla’s Model S, Model X, and Model 3. Notably, Model 3 also scored 5 stars in every subcategory tested—including frontal, side, and rollover crash performance.
For the latest and more interesting auto news, keep reading Indiatimes Auto.