Tyler the Creator Totals Tesla in LA Drowsy Driving Crash
Late last week, rapper Tyler the Creator dramatically demonstrated the danger of driving while drowsy when he totaled his new Tesla. The crash took place late Wednesday, October 24, 2018. Luckily no one was hurt in the serious crash, but another vehicle also sustained damage.
The 27-year-old rapper, record producer, and music video director, whose given name is Tyler Okonma, crashed his Tesla Model X into a parked car near the campus of UCLA. He reported that he hit the parked car, a Honda CR-V, with such force that it was launched 50 feet down the road. Tyler reported that he left his information for the owner of the Honda. There have been no arrests reported.
Drowsy driving to blame in crash
Shortly after the accident, Tyler posted a since-deleted selfie on Instagram in which he explained that he usually goes to sleep at 10:30 at night and wakes up at 7 a.m. every morning but the night of the crash, he stayed up “super late” to finish working on some music and dozed off for a few seconds while driving home. He noted that he did not have a scratch on him.
Tyler also took the opportunity to credit Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk for his escaping the crash scratch-free, writing, “I calmly jumped out the back and called the people. thanks elon for the excessive airbags u a qt. good day sir,”
Prevalence of drowsy driving accidents
The CDC had identified drowsy driving as a serious risk for drivers’ safety and the safety of others on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s conservative estimates, each year from 2005 to 2009, drowsy drivers caused 83,00 crashes, 37,000 of which involved injuries, and 886 of which involved fatalities. However, it noted that up to 6,000 fatal crashes each year may actually be caused by drowsy drivers.
The problem is common among adults; of those age 18 and older who were surveyed, approximately 1 out of 25 admitted that they had fallen asleep behind the wheel during the past 30 days. Falling asleep of course prevents a driver from navigating. But even driving drowsy can slow reaction time and impair decision-making. Always pull off the road if you experience signs of drowsy driving, like drifting into another lane, missing an exit, or hitting a rumble strip.
Who is responsible for a drowsy driver accident in Southern California
California follows a negligence-based system. This means a driver whose carelessness or recklessness causes your accident will be liable for the damages it causes. The can include the cost of medical bills, lost wages, lost companionship, pain and suffering, and lost property.
If you have been involved in a drowsy driver accident in Southern California, call today to speak with a Los Angeles drowsy driving accident attorney at Ellis Injury Law. We are committed to helping injury victims recover from those responsible. Call today to schedule a free consultation.
Additional drowsy driving resources:
- Fox News, Tyler the Creator involved in scary car accident in Los Angeles, https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/tyler-the-creator-involved-in-scary-car-accident-in-los-angeles
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Drowsy Driving, https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/drowsy_driving.html