Witness Claims Cybertruck Doors Failed to Open During Fatal Crash in California | Carscoops

      The safety features of the Cybertruck, including the door unlocking mechanism, remain ambiguous following a fatal accident.

      An official report identified alcohol, drug impairment, and excessive speed as contributing factors to the crash.

      The Cybertruck ignited after the collision, leaving passengers trapped despite attempts to escape.

      The absence of traditional door handles on the electric vehicle may have hindered rescue attempts during the fire.

      Testimony from a witness of a tragic accident involving a Tesla Cybertruck in Piedmont, California, last November has raised questions regarding the vehicle's safety features and the reckless conduct of those involved. According to US court documents, both the driver and three passengers were intoxicated during the incident, and it was noted that the doors could not be opened.

      Three out of the four individuals in the Tesla lost their lives in the tragic crash. The Cybertruck belonged to Matthew Riordan, who informed investigators that his friend, 19-year-old Soren Dixon, had persuaded him to take the truck for a drive while at a party. Riordan eventually gave in and allowed Dixon to drive the Cybertruck, with their friends Jack Nelson, Krysta Tsukahara, and Jordan Miller accompanying them. Riordan followed in another vehicle and witnessed the crash.

      An autopsy later indicated that Dixon’s blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit, and he also tested positive for cocaine and methamphetamine. In interviews with investigators, Riordan recounted that he urgently tried to rescue the others but was only able to pull Miller from the wreckage.

      "I could hear Krysta screaming, and the car was announcing ‘crash detected,’" Riordan said. "I returned to the shattered window and shouted for them to try to escape through that opening… Krysta attempted to come up, leaning her head out from the back; I grabbed her arm in an effort to pull her towards me, but she withdrew because of the flames." He also attempted to open the doors, but they would not move.

      "Nothing opened at all," he explained. "I then pressed the button on the windshield for Jordan’s door, and then for Krysta's door," yet he couldn’t unlock them. Riordan managed to rescue Miller from the burning Tesla only after breaking a window with a tree branch.

      It's uncertain why Riordan couldn't open the Cybertruck's doors; it's possible they automatically locked when Dixon began driving and could not be opened from the outside. A report from the California Highway Patrol attributes the crash to a mix of alcohol intoxication, drug impairment, and dangerous speeds.

      However, it's important to point out that other Tesla models, such as the Model Y and Model S, include a feature that automatically unlocks the doors if the airbags deploy. While many vehicles have this feature, we have not confirmed whether the Cybertruck is equipped with it.

      A significant concern with the Cybertruck is that it lacks external door handles. Instead, a button on the pillar is required to unlatch the door, and locating those buttons in the midst of a fire could prove extremely challenging.