# 2021 TESLA MODEL S — STEERING
> **FATAL** · NHTSA complaint `1787002` · 2022-01-07 · Tesla, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 1
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** TESLA
- **Model:** MODEL S
- **Year:** 2021
- **Manufacturer:** Tesla, Inc.
- **Component:** STEERING
- **Speed:** 19 mph
## Narrative
During afternoon commute in a residential area, driving at 19 mph, a cat running after some type of lizard run in front of my car.  I have been driving for the last 40 years, safe driver designation on my license, and have more than 1,000,000 miles on my back without major accident. I instinctively went for the horn in the center of the steering and tried to catch the top of the steering wheel (absent in my car) to change course.  Finding a little button among other little buttons to sound the horn is impossible when the driver is under stress and needs to use the horn.  The consequence, sadly, was a severely injured animal that did not survive.  Without diminishing the importance of an animal life, if that was a child the consequence would be catastrophic. The steering yoke and horn control pauses a serious danger.
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*