A Few Days Ago Our Cybertruck Was T-boned By a Drunk Driver at 60 MPH, and The Police Told Us Any Other Vehicle Would've Flipped

Imagine this: you're driving with your 5-year-old daughter, and in an instant, your world is turned upside down - quite literally. This was the harrowing experience shared by an anonymous member of the Tesla Cybertruck public group on Facebook.

“A few days ago, the Lord saved my life and the life of my 5-year-old daughter in our Tesla Cybertruck. We were T-boned by a drunk driver who ran a red light going 60 miles per hour.

The police on the scene told us that if we had been in any other vehicle, the car would’ve flipped and been torn in half.

I’ll be buying a new Cybertruck this week. If you love your family, buy a Tesla.”

Watch the video report of this story from the Torque News Youtube channel.

An Unexpected Real-World Test of the Cybertruck's Safety

The Tesla Cybertruck has been praised for its bold styling, cutting-edge tech, and brute power, but rarely do we hear of such a dramatic, real-life safety validation. In this case, the truck’s infamous 30X cold-rolled stainless steel exoskeleton, which Elon Musk once called “apocalypse-level safe,” seems to have fulfilled its promise.

In fact, Musk's claim may no longer seem like hyperbole when you read why Tesla's Cybertruck was engineered to be “apocalypse-level safe” and how it earned its 5-star safety rating.

For this Cybertruck driver, that engineering wasn’t theoretical. It made the difference between walking away with their child, or not walking away at all.

And when it comes to safety, it's not always about the crash—sometimes it's about how long you’re left waiting after one. One EV owner recently shared how it took 55 days to get their Kia EV6 back from a local dealership after a recall, leaving them stranded and frustrated. That kind of downtime isn’t just inconvenient—it can be dangerous when your vehicle is your daily family transporter. See what it’s really like when your EV sits at the dealership for nearly two months due to a recall.

When Safety Is Personal: Community Reactions Pour In

The Facebook post sparked hundreds of reactions, many sharing similar stories or voicing admiration for the Cybertruck’s resilience.

John Loy offered a nuanced perspective:

“I am glad your family is safe, but many cars would protect and keep your family safe. My wife and son were T-boned in the front half of the car at 60 miles per hour... Her Smart car flipped on the side but everyone was safe... I still love Tesla and you should buy another one if that makes you feel safe.”

John’s story is an important reminder that other vehicles also feature top-tier crash mitigation technologies. However, when a Tesla Cybertruck owner says, “Ask any Cybertruck owner what they think about their truck”- as detailed in this powerful owner testimonial on Torque News - the overwhelming feedback tends to echo the original post: that this is a vehicle engineered to protect its occupants at all costs.

In the EV world, every ownership journey can take an unexpected turn, even when things start off strong. Not every vehicle delivers on its long-term promises, and some, like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, end up offering a brief but memorable ride before calling it quits. One owner shared how his Mach-E "did its job" but suddenly turned into a short-lived experience, leaving behind a mix of admiration and regret. You might want to read his honest take on what it was like owning a Mustang Mach-E and why, in the end, it was fun while it lasted.

Faith, Family, and Safety Engineering

For many commenters, the conversation went beyond the physics of steel and airbags.

“God was watching over you both,” one user wrote. “It’s all about your family and their safety!”

Indeed, for some, divine protection and smart engineering go hand in hand. But there’s no question that the Cybertruck’s structural integrity and advanced safety systems played a critical role here, especially when paired with Tesla’s real-time safety assist features.

Airbag Deployment and a Moment of Clarity

One of the images shared from the incident showed the airbags fully deployed—a textbook response.

Group member Mr. G Johnson reacted:

“The airbag coverage is epic!”

That kind of remark underscores an often-overlooked element of vehicle safety: airbag architecture and sensor responsiveness. Tesla vehicles, including the Cybertruck, are equipped with an advanced restraint system that includes multiple airbags and seatbelt pretensioners designed to react within milliseconds of an impact.

This led other group members to reflect on safety as a primary factor in their next vehicle purchase. One user put it best:

“If I could afford it, I would buy one just for the safety features. I'm glad you and your daughter are safe.”

Another user, Beau Snyder, had his own brush with disaster:

“I walked away from a 66 mile an hour head-on collision in a Tesla Model S… It’s the reason my wife and I only drive Teslas today.”

These stories add to a growing number of Tesla owners who share first-hand testimonials about Tesla vehicles saving lives in unexpected accidents, like in this revealing piece about Autopilot saving a Cybertruck from a blind minivan U-turn.

While the safety features in a Tesla Cybertruck are undeniably impressive, we can’t overlook the fact that no vehicle is invincible, and sometimes the results are surprising when vehicles face extreme conditions. Take, for instance, the story of a Toyota Tacoma owner whose truck was hit at 55 mph, flipped in the air, and landed on all four tires without a single major injury. That’s the kind of unexpected durability that you can’t always predict - just like the Cybertruck’s airbag coverage. This Toyota Tacoma defied the odds and the driver walked away without significant damage in this wild crash.

The Numbers Back the Anecdotes

It’s not just stories - Tesla’s safety credentials have been put to the test under scrutiny and statistics. A recent report compiled data on Tesla's accident rate per mile driven using Autopilot and showed a significant decrease in crash likelihood compared to human-driven vehicles.

This data-driven analysis is explored in this must-read breakdown of Tesla FSD safety numbers. It highlights how Tesla's safety advantage isn't just anecdotal, it's measurable.

Not Everyone's Experience Has Been Smooth

Yet, it's also important to remain balanced. Not all Cybertruck owners report unblemished safety experiences. In a compelling counterpoint from Canada, a new owner explained how their first drive in snow exposed concerning behavior from the truck, forcing them to label it dangerous in certain conditions.

That sobering account is captured in this Torque News article titled “Cybertruck Is Dangerous,” Says Canadian Owner After First Snow Drive, which reminds us that vehicle safety also depends on regional driving environments, weather, and software tuning.

Putting It All Into Perspective

The anonymous Cybertruck driver’s story is a sobering reminder that while Teslas may often be celebrated for their tech, acceleration, or styling, it's their real-world safety performance that creates lifelong loyalty.

That said, Tesla’s vehicles - especially the Cybertruck - remain polarizing, and stories like this will only intensify the debate.

Do they represent the future of safety on the road? Or are there blind spots in their design that need addressing?

As we evaluate the Cybertruck’s role in the modern automotive landscape, it’s crucial to remember that the ultimate test of a vehicle isn’t how it looks or accelerates - it’s how it protects.

What’s Your Take?

Have you had a close call where your vehicle made the difference?

Do safety reports matter more to you than personal stories or vice versa?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. And if you're researching Cybertruck ownership, dive into this roundup of brutally honest Cybertruck owner opinions.

Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and Youtube. He has more than a decade of expertise in the automotive industry with a special interest in Tesla and electric vehicles.