If you’ve driven through Los Angeles lately, you’ve probably seen a Waymo, those white cars covered in sensors and cameras. These autonomous vehicles scan the road in every direction and make driving decisions without a human touching the wheel.
But even the most driving technology isn’t perfect. When a Waymo crashes, injured victims often face confusing questions about responsibility. Without a traditional driver to blame, determining who is liable becomes more complicated. Understanding your rights is the first step toward protecting yourself.
How Waymo Works & Where It Operates in California
Before talking about fault, it helps to see how Waymo actually works. Instead of a driver, the vehicle relies on cameras, radar, LiDAR, and software to read traffic and avoid hazards.
While powerful, these systems can struggle with real-world challenges like construction, sudden pedestrian movement, or heavy rain. Waymo currently operates in several busy California cities, each with its own risks:
Los Angeles
Waymo serves parts of Downtown LA and nearby neighborhoods, placing self-driving cars in some of the state’s most congested streets.
San Francisco
San Francisco has one of the largest Waymo service areas. Steep hills, tight intersections, and heavy foot traffic can lead to sudden stops or system errors.
San Diego
Waymo continues to expand in San Diego, especially near downtown and the waterfront. Tourists, e-bikes, and high foot traffic can make these areas unpredictable.
Waymo Crash Trends: What the Data Shows
As Waymo expands, so do the reported accidents. Between 2023 and 2025, the company reported 154 crashes, a sign that even advanced systems can fail.
According to the manufacturer-reported crash data:
Daylight Waymo Crashes
61.7% of crashes happened in daylight, when visibility was clear.
Clear Weather Waymo Crashes
72.7% occurred during clear weather, not rain, fog, or other poor conditions.
These numbers show that many accidents occur under normal driving conditions. A Waymo might brake too hard for a small object, misread a construction area, or respond unpredictably to a cyclist, even when roads seem safe.
Why Waymo Vehicles Can Still Cause Accidents
Self-driving cars rely on sensors, cameras, and code to understand the world around them. But real roads are unpredictable. When something falls outside the system’s expectations, the car may react too slowly, too quickly, or in the wrong way.
Common Situations That Lead to Waymo Crashes
Waymo crashes usually happen when the system encounters something outside its expectations. Some of the most common problems include:
- Misread Signals — Trouble interpreting traffic lights, bus signals, or another driver's turn indicator.
- Abrupt Braking —Sudden stops that increase the risk of rear-end collisions.
- Unpredictable Human Actions — Speeding, last-second turns, or running red lights.
- Difficulty Merging — Hesitating or making unsafe moves when joining fast-moving traffic.
- Unusual Road Scenarios — Freezing or reacting unpredictably near school buses, emergency vehicles, construction zones, or odd intersections.
Even at low speeds, these issues can lead to sharp turns, hard braking, and injuries to passengers and people nearby.
Recommended Reading: What To Do After a Waymo Accident in Los Angeles
Who Is Liable in a Waymo Crash?
Understanding who may be liable in a Waymo crash is more complex than in a typical car accident, because responsibility can involve both human actions and failures in the autonomous driving system.
Your self-driving car accident lawyer will look at what failed, how the AV responded, and whether another driver contributed to the crash. Below are the parties that could be responsible for your injuries:
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Waymo and Its Technology Partners
Waymo, or the companies that design, build, or maintain its self-driving system, may be responsible when a crash occurs because the technology fails.
California law places clear safety obligations on autonomous vehicle manufacturers, requiring their systems to meet state and federal standards and operate safely on public roads.
- Technology-related failures can include:
- Faulty sensors or cameras (LiDAR, radar, or optical sensors failing to detect hazards)
- Software errors or defective code that misjudge speed, distance, or timing
- Incorrect system decisions, such as braking too late or failing to yield
- Mechanical failures, including braking issues or steering malfunctions
- Maintenance mistakes, like skipped updates or improper calibration
- Defective components supplied by third-party manufacturers
California law requires autonomous vehicles to record crash data, which often helps determine whether Waymo or its technology partners are responsible. Companies that design or maintain unsafe autonomous systems can be held liable for resulting injuries.
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Other Drivers on the Road
Even with a self-driving car involved, another driver may be the one who caused the crash. Their unsafe choices can put everyone, including the Waymo passengers, at risk.
- A human driver may be at fault if they:
- Speed or drive distracted
- Run a red light
- Make an illegal turn
- Rear-end the Waymo vehicle
In these cases, the claim is handled much like a normal car accident, but Waymo’s onboard data can help show what happened and whether the autonomous car reacted correctly.
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Shared Fault in Unexpected Road Situations
Some crashes involve sudden actions that no vehicle, human-driven or autonomous, can fully avoid. In these situations, fault may be shared between the Waymo system and the person who acted unpredictably.
In these situations, the key question becomes whether the AV had enough time and information to respond safely.
- Examples of shared-fault scenarios include:
- Entering traffic suddenly
- Crossing outside of a marked crosswalk
- Swerving into the Waymo’s path
Waymo’s internal logs show how quickly the system detected the person and whether it reacted properly, helping determine liability.
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Passenger Interference [RARE]
Although passengers usually have no control over a fully autonomous Waymo, there are rare situations where a rider can contribute to a crash.
- This can happen if the passenger:
- Hits the emergency stop button without reason
- Blocks cameras or sensors
- Ignores on-screen instructions
- Interferes with the system during a manual-assist mode
During testing, a safety operator may also be responsible if they fail to correct the vehicle when required.
Hurt in a Waymo or Self-Driving Car Accident?
Why Waymo Accident Claims Are More Complex
Figuring out who is liable in a Waymo crash becomes even more challenging once you begin gathering evidence, because Waymo controls much of the information needed to understand what went wrong.
Instead of exchanging information with another driver, you’re facing a large company that holds the key data required to prove your claim. Having a skilled autonomous vehicle injury attorney becomes essential.
- Key challenges include:
- Limited access to evidence: Waymo holds key information like video footage, sensor logs, and trip data. Without an attorney, obtaining this evidence may be difficult.
- Multiple parties involved: Responsibility may fall on Waymo, the vehicle manufacturer, the software developer, or another driver.
- Insurance disputes: Insurers may argue that the technology functioned correctly or shift blame onto another party to reduce payouts.
- Hard-to-prove system failures: Software errors leave no visible mark. Proving a system failure often requires experts and data that Waymo may be slow to release.
- Delayed injuries: Whiplash, headaches, and soreness caused by sharp movements can develop hours or days after the crash.
- Longer investigations: AV cases involve more reports, more experts, and more technical analysis than traditional crashes.
These challenges can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to recover. A knowledgeable Waymo crash injury lawyer can guide you through the process, gather the right evidence, and fight to secure full compensation for your medical costs, lost income, and pain.
Why You Should Consider Legal Help After a Waymo Accident
Waymo accident claims require technical knowledge, legal experience, and access to evidence that most people can’t obtain on their own.
- A personal injury lawyer can help you:
- Get the critical data Waymo controls
- Identify every responsible party
- Push back against insurance delays
- Document injuries correctly
- Fight for full compensation, including medical bills, lost wages, and long-term needs
Without legal help, large companies may try to shift blame or limit what you recover. An experienced personal injury attorney makes sure that doesn’t happen.
Injured in a Waymo Accident? We’re Here to Help.
A Waymo crash is far more complicated than a typical accident, and trying to handle it alone can put your case at risk. Companies like Waymo move fast to protect themselves, often locking down critical data within minutes. Our team knows how to uncover the failures buried behind their systems and fight back on your behalf.
Contact us today so we can protect your rights and pursue the full compensation you deserve. Your consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we win.
SHERIF EDMOND EL DABE
Founder / Partner / Attorney
Sherif Edmond El Dabe, founding partner of El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers in Los Angeles and Huntington Beach, is a seasoned trial attorney focused on catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and insurance bad faith cases. He has recovered over $224 million for clients and spoken at leading legal conferences, including CAALA and TBI Med Legal.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is not intended as legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. You should consult with an experienced attorney for advice on your specific situation.