The driver of a white Tesla Model 3 had a very close call last weekend after coming within feet of driving into the Dana Point Harbor in Orange County, California.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department stated on social media that the driver of the Model 3 accidentally accelerated rather than applying the brakes when parking at the harbor. Given the instant power and torque provided by the Model 3 and its electric powertrain, the driver didn’t have the time to correct their mistake and the Tesla ended up driving over a bunch of large rocks leading to the water’s edge.
These photos show that local authorities used a chain to pull the Tesla off the rocks.
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No photos or details have been provided about how much damage the Tesla sustained but we suspect the front end took quite a whack when it first slammed into the rocks. Additionally, it’s likely that the car’s undertray has also been damaged in the car’s unplanned off-road excursion and it’s not inconceivable that a rock could have pierced the underside and damaged the battery. Even if that isn’t the case, repairing the EV will probably prove to be rather costly.
It’s not uncommon for drivers to get the brake and throttle mixed up. In fact, Road & Track notes that pedal confusion causes approximately 16,000 crashes per year in the United States, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.