A test drive of a Tesla Model Y in Arlington, Virginia, has led to a lawsuit after a first-time electric vehicle driver alleged she was not properly informed about the vehicle’s operation before crashing into a hair salon. The complaint seeks more than $10.6 million in damages, while Tesla argues the driver failed to exercise reasonable care.
First-Time EV Driver Alleges Lack of Warning Before Test Drive
According to the complaint, Alemzewd Lawgalet, a 59-year-old federal employee, visited a Tesla showroom in Arlington, Virginia, in September 2024 after never having driven an electric vehicle.
Lawgalet alleges she informed Tesla staff that she had no prior experience with electric vehicles and was told the Tesla Model Y would “operate the same as a gas vehicle.” She further claims she was allowed to begin the test drive alone in a vehicle that had been left in Insane mode, the Model Y’s most aggressive acceleration setting.
Crash During Test Drive Leads to Multi-Million-Dollar Claim
During the drive, Lawgalet said she was unsettled by the Model Y’s regenerative braking while traveling on the highway because she had not been warned about the feature. She exited the interstate and began returning to the showroom.
According to the complaint, after stopping at a traffic light, she pressed the accelerator and the vehicle accelerated with much greater force than she intended. The Tesla crossed the roadway and crashed into a hair salon, which caught fire.
Lawgalet alleges she suffered serious and permanent injuries. According to The Independent, she is seeking at least $10.3 million in compensatory damages and an additional $350,000 in punitive damages, accusing Tesla of recklessness and a “conscious disregard” for her safety.
Tesla disputes those claims, maintaining that Lawgalet failed to drive with reasonable care.
Insane Mode Changes Vehicle Acceleration Response
The article describes Insane mode as a setting that significantly changes how quickly the vehicle responds to accelerator input. Tesla’s materials characterize Chill mode as the smoother driving option, while Insane mode unlocks the vehicle’s full performance.
A Model Y Performance operating in Insane mode can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 3.3 seconds. Because an electric motor delivers strong torque almost immediately, even small accelerator movements can produce rapid acceleration that may feel unfamiliar to someone driving an electric vehicle for the first time.
Test Drive Process Draws Attention
The article notes that traditional dealerships often place a salesperson in the passenger seat during test drives to explain unfamiliar vehicle features and controls.
It also states that Tesla’s self-service test-drive approach removes much of the traditional dealership sales experience but may also eliminate opportunities to explain selected drive modes, regenerative braking, and other characteristics that could be unfamiliar to first-time electric vehicle drivers.
The article further notes that Tesla already offers Chill mode, which reduces acceleration, and suggests that a first-drive setting could temporarily limit performance while explaining regenerative braking and other unfamiliar vehicle behavior before allowing drivers to access the vehicle’s full capabilities.
The lawsuit centers on whether the driver received adequate preparation before taking the Tesla Model Y on the road, while Tesla maintains that the driver was responsible for operating the vehicle with reasonable care.
