Driver Falls Asleep, Wrecks Tesla In South Brunswick

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ - A driver fell asleep behind the wheel of a Tesla, and crashed into a utility pole in South Brunswick on Monday, police said.

A 34-year-old woman from Hillsborough was driving her 2021 Tesla Westbound on Dey Road, a two-lane country road, half mile west of Route. 130. Police said the accident was reported at 9:02 a.m.

According to the police, the driver fell asleep as she approached a curve on the road. The Tesla crossed over the eastbound lane and struck a utility pole on the eastbound shoulder.

The impact sheared off the passenger side front tire and the car came to rest in the corn field. The driver was uninjured in the crash, but the vehicle was damaged, said police. .

Police chief Raymond Hayducka said driver fatigue was a “significant issue”, no matter the the type of vehicle one drove.

“Statistics show that you are three times more likely to be in a crash if you are fatigued. Don’t let the type of vehicle you are driving lull you into a belief it is ok to drive while exhausted. In this case the Tesla crossed over into oncoming traffic before striking the utility pole,” he said.

It’s not known if the Tesla was in autopilot mode during the crash.

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