Checklist · no one drivingSelf-driving car crash checklistNobody was driving? Capture this before you leave.
With no driver at the scene, the car and the company behind it are what you record. Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Then get the plate and the company marking, the time to the minute, a report to the company and the police report number. Pick your list below: rider, on foot or bike, or driving.
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Written and reviewed by Josh Kohanim, Esq., California Bar No. 328609 · Published · Reviewed
Captured
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Rider safety and the 911 call
Your ride record in the app
Rider photos and the police report
Rider terms and statements
A Tesla on Autopilot or FSD has a driver
California's definition of an autonomous vehicle covers SAE Levels 3, 4 and 5, and leaves out systems that cannot drive “without the active control or monitoring of a human operator” (Vehicle Code 38750). NHTSA notes that Tesla characterizes FSD as “an SAE Level 2 partial automation system requiring a fully attentive driver” (NHTSA). The person in the seat is the driver, so use our crash scene checklist, and see Tesla Autopilot and FSD crashes.
The company holds the video
Waymo says it records video inside the vehicle during trips and uses external cameras around the car (Waymo). Zoox says its cameras “record the entirety of your ride” (Zoox). A written preservation request names each record and asks the company to keep it; our guide to evidence after a self-driving car crash lists them. Wise Law is not affiliated with Waymo, Zoox or Tesla; the names identify the vehicles.
This page is general information, not legal advice for your situation. Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship. An attorney-client relationship is formed only by a signed written fee agreement.
Questions about this tool
What should I do right after a Waymo hits me?
Call 911 if anyone is hurt. There is no driver to exchange information with, so record the car instead: the license plate, the “TCP 38152A” marking near the bumper corners, the time to the minute and where it stopped. Report the collision through Waymo's line, 1-844-263-9885, its online collision form or the QR code on either front door, and get the officer's name and report number if police came. See a doctor the same day, and talk to a lawyer before you give a recorded statement.
The Waymo drove away after the crash. Now what?
Waymo says its car may keep driving after a collision to reach a safe spot to stop, and that its dome light signal shows the car is aware an event has occurred. Write down the plate, the direction it went and the time to the minute. Report it to Waymo at 1-844-263-9885, through its online collision form or with the QR code on either front door, and call the police if anyone was hurt. Whether California's hit and run statutes fit a car with no driver is an open question.
Can I walk away after a crash in a driverless Waymo?
Waymo's help page tells injured riders to call 911, says riders can exchange information or document the collision if they feel it is important, and says Waymo will help you hail another vehicle. Leaving with nothing makes a claim harder to prove later. Before you go, screenshot the trip, photograph the cars and the other driver's plate, note where the car stopped, and get the officer's name and report number if police came. Keep your account open so Support keeps access to the trip.
Does Waymo pay a rider's medical bills after a crash?
Waymo's help page says it provides “limited medical coverage for our riders, regardless of who's at fault or whether you have additional coverage.” The page does not state an amount or the terms. That coverage is separate from a claim against whoever caused the crash, which may be another driver or the company that operates the car. Ask in writing what any payment covers and whether it comes with a release, and keep a copy of the rider terms you accepted.
What happens if I hit a Waymo with no one in it?
Stop. Vehicle Code 20002 requires a driver in a property damage crash to notify the owner or leave a written notice and notify the police. With no one in the car, reach the company: Waymo's collision line is 1-844-263-9885, and its help page also lists an online form and a QR code on either front door. If anyone was hurt, or the damage passes $1,000, Vehicle Code 16000 also requires an SR-1 report to the DMV within 10 days. Then tell your own insurer.
Have a question about your case?
Speak with an attorney. The review is free and you will get a direct answer.
Tell us what happened and, if you know it, which company's car it was. We will tell you who may be responsible and where you stand. A licensed attorney reads every message. Someone is available 24 hours a day, and we usually respond right away.
Written and reviewed by Josh Kohanim, Esq., California Bar No. 328609 · Published · Reviewed