Breaking down is also completely indistinguishable from what the Tesla did in this case. The breaks weren’t slammed on either, 7 seconds elapsed between the Tesla indicating for the turn and the collision. It’s very obvious that every participant in the pile up was at least partially at fault. The only confounding factor in this case seems to be that many HN commenters lose a handful of IQ points when any topic relating to Elon Musk comes up.

You, UNLESS THERE ARE CLEAR EVIDENCES THAT PROVE YOUR INNOCENCE, like there are in this case and there will be in such cases(like skid marks).

The fact that the trailing driver is USUALLY found at fault it is just philosophical razors applied to situations without enough evidences. Generalizing that into "trailing drivers are always at fault" is disingenuous, partisan and malicious.

Key word is "almost". Perhaps this is a situation where the fault is primarily with the overtaking car. However, an attentive driver should have started braking as soon as the illegal lane change was started.

You're describing the exception situation that has led to many drivers to install dashcams.

5 seconds is nonsense.

The average driver’s reaction time is 0.2 to 0.3 seconds. This is before the driver’s foot moves.

Then there is approx 1 second before the brakes take effect (foot movement, applying the force, brakes responding)

So 1.5 second before the car starts breaking.

There is a rule of “be at least 2 seconds behind the car in front” which gives a safe distance to handle any emergency braking.

Of course everything depends on driver’s and car’s conditions.

5 seconds?? Lol. Maybe if the driver is 86 years old.