Tesla cars may look like a cool to some, but they are not without controversy. Firstly, their creator, Elon Musk has made a name for himself as a controversial figure in the past few years. This has left people trying to distance themselves from the billionaire. But the cars themselves are also controversial. Over the years, people have reported malfunctions that have created some dangerous situations. A man and two children were recently killed in Germany after people were unable to get into their car to help them.
A 43-year-old man and three children were involved in a car crash in West Germany on September 7, 2025, local outlet Ruhr News reported. According to the news outlet, three 9-year-old children were sitting in the back seat at the time of the accident.
Bernd Pentrop, press spokesman for the Unna District Police Department, described the accident as “serious,” saying the Tesla and two other cars were involved. Allegedly, the driver of the electric car was trying to overtake two other cars on the road.
However, in trying to do so, the car ended up going off the road. It hit a tree and almost immediately caught fire. Three of the four people in the car were burned. One of the children was able to get himself out and was taken to the hospital by helicopter.
Currently, it is unknown what caused the Tesla driver to veer off the road.
“A man and two children could not be saved. They died at the scene,” fire service commander Daniel Bösch told Ruhr News. “When the fire department arrived, the car was engulfed in flames. In addition to the extinguishing attempts on the car, the bush was cleared, larger branches were removed with a chainsaw.”
Drivers of the other cars involved in the accident were treated on site, Ruhr News reported. Firefighters had a hard time extinguishing the fire in the electric car — it continued reigniting until they finally got it contained.
According to another German news outlet, a nearby resident attempted to free everyone from the Tesla after the crash. He could not open the car’s retractable door.
“According to the ADAC, the retractable door handles of the Tesla models may have prevented this,” the news outlet said, citing Germany’s automobile club. “These can only be extended electronically. If the power supply fails in the event of an accident, helpers can no longer open the doors from the outside.”
Both outlets claimed that counseling resources were provided to those who witnessed the crash.
