Tesla Model 3 in California Crash Records

Direct Answer: Between January 2018 and August 2026, the Tesla Model 3 appeared in 28,037 reported California crash records, representing 34,920 vehicle party rows. This profile describes reported crash involvement from public sources, not an official vehicle safety rating. View the metrics breakdown below or read the limitations.

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Your car in the records

Tesla Model 3

California records from 2018-01-20 through 2026-08-06. This describes reported crash involvement, not how safe the car is.

Permanent profile
Crash records
28,037
34,920 party rows
Fault field recorded
30.1%
10,509 rows recorded fault status, 24,411 did not
Typical crash size
3.07
Reported parties per crash
Injury-linked rows
18,109
1.41 documented people when present
The quick read
Most recorded color
White
Most common violation
Unsafe speed
Most common movement
Proceeding Straight
Most common named counterpart
Toyota Camry
Most common crash type
Rear End
Busiest hour
5 PM
Fault status, visualized
All rows
28.6% / 1.5% / 69.9%
Recorded rows only
95.1% at fault / 4.9% not at fault
At faultNot at faultUnknown
Top bar: all rows. Bottom bar: only rows where fault was recorded. 69.9% of rows were left unknown.

Color mix

White11,862
Gray8,242
Black6,787
Blue3,519
Red2,817
Silver636

Vehicles on the other side

Toyota Camry2,349
Honda Civic2,266
Honda Accord2,205
Toyota Corolla1,818
Toyota Prius1,337
Chevrolet Silverado1,108

Movement before impact

Proceeding Straight14,996
Stopped6,660
Slowing/Stopping4,375
Changing Lanes1,807
Parked1,711
Other1,410

Recorded violations

Unsafe Speed10,222
Unsafe Turn Or Lane Movement3,325
Unsafe Lane Use3,091
Driving Under The Influence1,218
Vehicle Code 22350unsafespeedforprevailingconditions1,045
Vehicle Code 22350unsafespeedprevailcond963

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a Tesla Model 3 have good safety ratings in crash records?

Public crash records only track reported crash involvement (the count of times a vehicle appears in police reports), which is not a safety rating. To check official safety ratings, structural crashworthiness, and crash test results for the Tesla Model 3, consult the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Why is crash involvement not the same as a safety rating?

A vehicle might appear frequently in crash records simply because it is extremely popular and there are millions of them driven on the road (high exposure), or because it is favored by high-mileage drivers (such as commuters or rideshare operators). A true safety rating requires dividing crash counts by the total number of registered vehicles and vehicle miles traveled, alongside controlled laboratory crash testing.

“At fault” reflects the officer-coded field in the crash record, not a legal finding. That is why this page separates fault coverage from fault split: 9,994 rows were reported at fault, 515 were reported not at fault, and 24,411 were left without a recorded fault status. “People” refers to injury, passenger, or witness rows linked to the selected vehicle, not every occupant. Registration exposure and miles driven are not controlled.

Cite or reuse this profile

This is independent analysis of public records. Keep the reporting window, source, and methodology attached when reusing a figure.

The Crash Data Project. "Tesla Model 3 in California Crash Records." Updated August 7, 2026. https://crashes.meruai.co/vehicles/tesla/model-3. Analysis of California Crash Reporting System public records.
Read the methodology
Download generated 1 summary file. Source records may be revised after publication.