The parents of a 19-year-old woman who died in a Tesla Cybertruck crash in California last year have filed a lawsuit against the electric carmaker, alleging the vehicle's door handles were defectively designed and prevented her from escaping the fire.
Krysta Tsukahara, a college student, died on 27 November 2024 when the Cybertruck, travelling at high speed, struck a tree and caught fire in Piedmont, California. According to the lawsuit, the crash did not cause fatal physical injuries; she died from smoke inhalation and burns because she could not open the rear door after the power cut off.
The suit, filed in Alameda County Superior Court, claims that Tesla's flush door handles and reliance on electronic systems created a serious risk of entrapment. From inside the vehicle, the manual override for rear doors is a cable hidden under a pocket liner, making it difficult to find in an emergency. From outside, rescue workers struggled to open the doors.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is already investigating Tesla's door handle design. The Cybertruck has had eight recalls since its launch. Tesla has faced other lawsuits over safety, including a US$243 million payout in a Florida Autopilot case.
The family's attorney, Roger Dreyer, said: 'The design of this vehicle failed Krysta. There was no functioning, accessible manual override or emergency release for her to escape.' The driver, Soren Dixon, who also died, was found to have alcohol, cocaine and amphetamines in his system. A friend who witnessed the crash broke a window and rescued one passenger but could not reach Tsukahara.
