Two people killed in the accident. Seems to be that the battery actually malfunctions prior to the crash and then crashes into a tree. Car is completely engulfed in a battery fire within 3 minutes. Cells scattered around the scene.
This seems absolutely horrific.
The batteries are pretty dangerous by nature, but you can design around them for safety. It might mean a more "boring" car, and flashy stuff like heavy electric-assisted door handles, and retracting exterior handles are pretty concerning in particular. The answer as always though, is to build out public transit infrastructure and mixed-use high/medium density urban developments, but American hogs aren't ready to have that conversation yet.
You can't really design around them though. Batteries are so insanely inefficient compared to gasoline or diesel fuel (or even hydrogen) that you have to make the majority of the weight of the car be all battery, and fill out pretty much all the structure that isn't the passenger compartment with batteries.
The famous failure of the Ford Pinto was that the gas tank was thin and placed directly on the back of the car, where any collision would damage it. The normal fix is to move the gas tank where it is better protected, and make it thicker. The typical location is tucked under the trunk, right behind and below the spare tire. It's small enough it fits there.
The low energy density of batteries forces you to make the entire bottom of the car be like the Pinto fuel tank. It's the least dangerous spot to put it. But it's still a huge weak spot that is a disaster if hit. Gasoline ignites easily, but not literally instantly upon contact with the air like batteries do.
Another huge problem with electric cars is they have to be the weight of a truck to carry enough battery to work. And I don't mean like a pickup truck, I mean like a tow truck in weight. This is hugely destructive on roads.