Meanwhile in Texas: Tesla Driver Falls Asleep at Wheel, Nearly Mows Down Cops (Wait, People in Texas Have Teslas?)

Teslas may be good for the environment, but they seem to be bad for human safety. At least, that’s the takeaway from this story about one of the Elon Musk-made vehicles that almost plowed down a pair of cops.

Let’s set the scene. It all started on a sidewalk in Hamlin, Texas. That’s where two female police dispatchers decided to take a smoke break. CCTV footage shows them puffing and chatting away. Then they extinguish the cigs and head inside. Just moments later, a dark blue Tesla comes careering onto the sidewalk and crashes next to the building.

Take a look:

We bet those ladies will think twice before taking a smoke break that close to the street again! (If lung cancer doesn’t kill you, runaway cars will!)

According to Hamlin Police Chief Bobby Evans, the unidentified driver was headed to New Mexico. He dozed off as he was entering Hamlin, then proceeded to hit the corner of City Hall and knocked down the awning pillars of five storefronts. Yikes!

This isn’t the first high-profile Tesla crash, nor will it be the last. Previous Tesla drivers have gone viral for all sorts of automotive whoopsies. There’s even a website called tesladeaths.com that keeps track of every fatal accident involving the overhyped (and very ugly) cars. The autopilot feature seems to be at fault in some of the fender-benders but more often than not, it’s good ol’ human error that’s responsible for the wrecks.

As shocking as the above footage is, what surprises us most about this ordeal is that people actually drive Teslas in Texas. They know they run on electricity, not gas, right?

Cover Photo: Hamlin Police Department