--- title: "Driver Injured in First Cybertruck Crash" description: "Just before the year drew to a close, a Toyota Corolla crashed into a Cybertruck that was traveling along a road near Palo Alto, California." date: "2024-01-03" modified: "2024-01-03" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/cybertruck-driver-crash-injuries" categories: - "Advanced Transport" tags: - "cybertruck" - "elon musk" - "tesla" --- # Driver Injured in First Cybertruck Crash ![Just before the year drew to a close, a Toyota Corolla crashed into a Cybertruck that was traveling along a road near Palo Alto, California.]() *\Image: Citizen App via KTVU\* It was only a matter of time before the first Tesla Cybertruck was involved in a collision. And just before the year drew to a close, a Toyota Corolla crashed into a Cybertruck that was traveling along a road near Palo Alto, California — an accident that's attracted immense scrutiny due to the Cybertruck's unconventional and [widely criticized]() design. According to a [statement]() released by the California Highway Patrol, the Toyota swerved and hit a dirt embankment on the right shoulder, reentered the road shortly, crossed the double yellow lines, and crashed into a Cybertruck, which was traveling the other way. The Tesla driver "sustained a suspected minor injury," and "declined medical transportation." No other "injuries were reported," per the CHP, suggesting the Corolla driver walked away unscathed despite images showing the vehicle's airbags deploying. "It does not appear that the Tesla Cybertruck was being operated in autonomous mode," the statement reads. While we await further details regarding the injuries and the investigation is still "ongoing," the crash highlights the potential risks of driving a vehicle as stiff as the Cybertruck. For decades, carmakers have designed vehicles to have crumple zones, which protect the driver during a collision. The Cybertruck, on the other hand, whose design is a [notable departure]() from conventional car composition and materials, has [raised concerns]() among experts. Apart from potential risks for the driver, experts have also pointed out concerns over pedestrian safety. The 6,600-pound EV has extremely limited sight lines and lacks visibility of what's going on in front of the vehicle — and that's without getting into its ultra-hard exterior. "The big problem there is if they really make the skin of the vehicle very stiff by using thick stainless steel, then when people hit their heads on it, it's going to cause more damage to them," Adrian Lund, the former president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), [told *Reuters*]() last month. European regulators have also expressed similar concerns, and the truck is [more than likely]() never making it across the pond. Tesla, however, has maintained that the Cybertruck is much safer for those behind the wheel and others sharing the road. "Yes, we are highly confident that Cybertruck will be much safer per mile than other trucks, both for occupants and pedestrians," CEO Elon Musk [tweeted](). The company has also [claimed]() that the truck's "front underbody casting is designed to break into small pieces," which "helps reduce occupant impact by absorbing and dispensing energy." Tesla only began delivering Cybertrucks to long-waiting customers late last year, and only time will tell whether it's a "[guideless missile]()" or the latest and greatest in driver safety. While experts have long voiced their concerns over the truck's unorthodox design, the rest of the EV maker's offerings have been lauded for being [some of the safest cars]() in the world. We'll need far more data to say for sure, but this first accident isn't necessarily promising for the brutalist pickup. **More on the truck:** *[Cybertruck Manufacturing Is a Disaster, Tesla Insiders Say]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()