Model Y

Make
Tesla
Segment
SUV

A family of four is lucky to escape with their lives after the Tesla Model Y they were traveling in crashed and fell 250 feet off a cliff at Devil's Slide, a tricky stretch of road on Highway 1 in California.

All four occupants - two adults and two young children aged nine and four - escaped virtually unscathed, with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office sharing that the adults suffered non-life-threatening injuries while the children were unharmed. Initial reports suggested the occupants received serious injuries in the crash, but thankfully, this is not the case.

The cause of the accident is unknown, but several reports indicate the vehicle left the road and rolled down the cliff several times before coming to rest on its wheels.

It's clear to see from the photo above that the Model Y did a stellar job of protecting its occupants. As you'd expect, the bodywork is severely mangled, but the overall structure appears to be intact.

One of the rescue workers, Brock Sommerset, shared on his Twitter account that the crash increased his admiration of the brand. "Got me seriously wanting to buy a Tesla," he wrote. "Was on this rescue, 250 ft of Devil's Slide, all occupants survived." The first responder also shared images and videos of the crash scene, highlighting the severity of the incident.

Another rescue worker told KRON 4 that they reached the victims via a rope-rescue system and a trio of helicopters. The rescue operation lasted more than three hours. A crane will attempt to fish the Tesla from its resting spot.

Both the NHTSA and IIHS have given the Model Y top marks for safety, but it's still incredible to see a vehicle protect its occupants in a bizarre crash like this. Initial reports suggest that neither Full Self-Driving nor Autopilot was activated at the time of the crash.

Both technologies have come under fire in recent weeks following a series of accidents involving Tesla vehicles. The NHTSA is probing the situation, while the Securities and Exchange Commission is also looking into the company regarding fraudulent claims around the technology.

While all this is less than desirable, there's no denying that this particular Model Y did an excellent job at protecting the occupants in this chilling crash, probably something not many vehicles could do.