Fatal accident with electric car: driver dies while overtaking!

Fatal accident with electric car: driver dies while overtaking!

A tragic accident occurred in the Celle district in which a driver lost his life. An overtaking maneuver by an electric car caused the two vehicles to collide and leave the road. The electric car crashed into a tree with full force and then burst into flames, while the driver of the electric car died at the scene of the accident. The 56-year-old driver of the other vehicle was taken to hospital with serious injuries. In addition, his vehicle was a total loss, while the electric car was completely destroyed by the fire. The L240 between Huxahl and Beckedorf had to be temporarily closed during the rescue efforts. The police have not yet released any information about the age of the deceased driver, as the Borken newspaper reported.

But what is actually behind the high accident rate of electric cars? According to statistics from insurance company Axa, electric vehicles are involved in accidents more often than conventional combustion engines. These accidents often result in damage to the vehicle, which occurs 50 percent more often with electric cars. Particularly powerful electric cars seem to pose a high risk, as the number of accidents is twice as high. The reason for this is seen, among other things, in the so-called overtapping effect, in which drivers lose control of their vehicle due to the acceleration. More than half of electric car drivers need a longer adjustment period to get used to their new driving habits, according to a report Research and knowledge is explained.

Accident statistics speak volumes

It becomes even more alarming when you look at Denmark's current accident statistics: there, electric cars are 20 percent more likely to be involved in accidents than other types of vehicles. A look at Tesla models even shows an accident rate that is 50 percent above average. These numbers have led researchers to question the driving behavior of electric car drivers. It is often the noticeable acceleration and the higher weight of the vehicles that make it difficult for drivers to maintain control. A crash test showed how this overtapping effect comes into play, which is worrying as well Car Motor and Sport reported.

In Norway, for example, where the proportion of electric cars was over 42 percent in 2019, 50 percent of new electric car owners said they had had an accident within the first year. For comparison: the accident rate for vehicles with combustion engines is only 25 to 30 percent. This clearly shows that the switch to electric vehicles in particular should be approached more carefully in order to avoid dangerous situations.

Overall, the accident statistics make people sit up and take notice and underline the need to offer electric drivers not only the necessary knowledge about the vehicles, but also appropriate training. It remains to be hoped that lessons will be learned from these incidents in order to avoid such tragic accidents in the future.