Waymo Robotaxi Involved in Minor Accident with Child Near School

A Waymo robotaxi hit a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California, on January 23rd, resulting in minor injuries and prompting an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The incident took place during the busy school drop-off period, with other children, a crossing guard, and several double-parked cars nearby. The child ran across the street from behind a double-parked SUV toward the school and was struck by the Waymo vehicle.

According to Waymo, the robotaxi was traveling at 17 mph when its autonomous system detected the child and “braked hard,” slowing down to 6 mph before the collision occurred. The child quickly got up and walked to the sidewalk, and Waymo reported that it called 911. The vehicle then moved to the side of the road and remained there until law enforcement allowed it to leave the scene.

NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation will assess whether the vehicle exercised appropriate caution, considering its location near the elementary school during drop-off hours and the presence of young pedestrians. The investigation will also evaluate Waymo’s intended behavior in school zones and surrounding areas, particularly during peak school pick-up and drop-off times, including its compliance with posted speed limits.

Waymo asserts that its autonomous system’s response likely mitigated the severity of the child’s injuries. The company noted that a “fully attentive human driver in the same situation would have made contact with the pedestrian at approximately 14 mph,” highlighting the safety benefits of the Waymo Driver due to the significant reduction in impact speed.

This incident follows the National Transportation Safety Board’s decision to launch its own investigation into reports of Waymo robotaxis passing school buses that were picking up and dropping off students in Austin, Texas. Waymo had previously issued a safety recall in December 2025 to address this concern, but further incidents have since been reported.