Self-driving car crash checklist Nobody 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.

Rider safety and the 911 call

Call 911 if anyone is hurt, then reach SupportWaymo tells injured riders to call 911 immediately and says the car notifies its Support team when it detects a collision; the 911 button in its app also sends Support an urgent notice (Waymo, Waymo safety). In a Zoox, the cabin has an overhead emergency button and help buttons on the screens (Zoox).
Stay belted if the car keeps moving, and note where it stopsWaymo says the car "may continue driving after a collision occurs to reach a safe spot to stop," and asks riders in a pull-over to stay in the car with the seat belt fastened and contact Support (Waymo, Waymo safety). Note the street where it was hit and the street where it stopped.
Whether the dome light was signaling when you got outWaymo says its dome light signal "indicates that the Waymo Driver is aware an event has occurred" (Waymo). A photo of it records that the car registered the collision at the scene.
A doctor the same dayName every part of you that hurts. The gap between the crash and the first medical record is the first thing an insurer measures.

Your ride record in the app

Screenshots of the trip before anything changesThe trip screen, the route, the pickup and drop-off and the time. Waymo's privacy policy says it collects your trip history and "the pickup and drop-off location and details about the vehicle's route" (Waymo); your screenshots are your own copy.
The receipt and every message from the companyThe receipt email, chats with Support, notices that the ride ended early, and any charge for it. Save copies somewhere other than your phone as well.
Keep the account openWaymo's help page says deleting an account is permanent and that "Support will lose all access to your previous trip information" (Waymo). Its privacy policy lets you export and download a copy of your information, which you can do now without closing anything.

Rider photos and the police report

Photos inside the car, and outside once it is safeInside: airbags, the seat, broken glass and your injuries. Outside: where the cars ended up, the damage and the plates. Waymo's collision page says riders can exchange information or document the collision if they feel it is important (Waymo).
The other driver's plate and insurance, if another car hit youPhotograph the plate and, if the driver will show them, the license and insurance card. The police report should record them too.
The officer's name, agency and report numberAsk which agency took the report: the city police, the sheriff or the CHP. Vehicle Code 20012 requires the agency to release it to people with a proper interest, including anyone named in it as injured.
Witnesses, and anyone who filmed itA first name and a phone number is enough. With no other driver at the scene, a witness may be the only person who can describe what the car did.

Rider terms and statements

Calls with Support are recordedWaymo says it records audio "during active voice calls with Rider Support" (Waymo). Describe what happened, do not guess about speed or fault, and do not say you are fine.
A copy of the rider terms as they read todayWaymo's terms (last updated September 29, 2026) and Zoox's (August 4, 2026) require arbitration of most rider claims and set their own deadlines to raise one: two years for Waymo, one year for Zoox (Waymo, Zoox). Whether those clauses hold up depends on the facts, so save the version in your app for a lawyer to read.
Facts to the company, not a recorded statement on fault or injuriesWaymo says a member of its "risk and insurance team reviews every collision" (Waymo). Give the facts it needs to open a file, then talk to a lawyer before any recorded statement. Do not say you are fine; say you are being checked.
Nothing signed and no payment taken before you know your injuriesA release ends the claim for every injury, including the ones that show up next week. Ask in writing what any payment covers, and send the paperwork to us before you sign it.

Safety on foot or bike

Call 911 if anyone is hurtWaymo's own collision page says the same: "If anyone is injured, call 911 immediately" (Waymo). There is no driver to check on you, so ask a bystander to stay with you.
Out of the lane and away from the carA driverless car may move again on its own. Get yourself, and your bike or scooter if you can, to the curb before you take photos.
A doctor the same dayName every part of you that hurts. The gap between the crash and the first medical record is the first thing an insurer measures.

The car that hit you

The license plate, even part of itWaymo's guide for police says each of its cars is "identified by license plate" (Waymo), and Zoox puts its plate on the front, the rear or both (Zoox). The plate ties the crash to one car.
The company marking near the bumper cornersWaymo's guide shows the marking “TCP 38152A” near the front and rear bumper corners (Waymo). It matches Waymo's state carrier certificate (CPUC), so it names the company, not the car; get the plate as well.
On a Zoox, the VIN through the windowA Zoox robotaxi looks the same front and back and has no steering wheel. Zoox says its vehicle identification number "is visible through the window near the right-side sensor pod" (Zoox). Photograph it with the plate.
Whether anyone was in the driver's seatIf a person was behind the wheel, ask for that person's name, license and insurance as you would with any driver. If no one was driving, there is nobody at the scene to exchange with, and the company that operates the car is who you report to.
Where the car went, if it kept drivingWaymo says its car "may continue driving after a collision occurs to reach a safe spot to stop," and that its dome light signal "indicates that the Waymo Driver is aware an event has occurred" (Waymo). Note the direction, the street and where it stopped.

Scene photos and nearby cameras

Photos of the car's position, lights and roof sensorsPhotograph it where it stopped, from far enough back to show the lanes, then the damage, the plate and anything lit on the roof. Waymo's collision page mentions a roadside assistance representative coming to the scene (Waymo), and the car may be moved after that, so get its position first.
Your injuries, your bike and the ground where you fellScrapes and bruises fade in days. The bike, the helmet and the spot where you landed show the force and the direction of the impact.
Cameras within sight of the spotStorefronts, doorbells, a bus, a parking garage. Write down each address and ask the owner to keep the footage; we follow with a written preservation request. The robotaxi's own cameras are a separate record that the company holds.
Witnesses, and anyone who filmed itA first name and a phone number is enough. With no other driver at the scene, a witness may be the only person who can describe what the car did.

Reports for walkers and cyclists

For a Waymo, call 1-844-263-9885 or scan the QR code on a front doorWaymo's collision page lists that line, the QR code on either front door, an online collision form and insurance@waymo.com for anyone involved in a collision (Waymo). Write down the reference number you are given, who you spoke with, and when.
For a Zoox, the number on either end of the vehicleZoox's California first responder plan lists (833) 322-2277, and the robotaxi's recorded message tells people to "call the number on either end of the vehicle" (Zoox). Zoox Support also takes calls and texts at 1-888-477-5055 (Zoox). Zoox keeps the registration and proof of insurance in a clip inside the charge port door, which Zoox can open remotely.
The time to the minute and the exact spotWhen one of these companies files a federal crash report, the public copy removes the street address and the day of the month but keeps the month, the time and the city (NHTSA). Your exact time is how a report is matched to your crash, and our self-driving car crash lookup searches them.
The officer's name, agency and report numberAsk which agency took the report: the city police, the sheriff or the CHP. Vehicle Code 20012 requires the agency to release it to people with a proper interest, including anyone named in it as injured.

Statements after being hit

Facts to the company, not a recorded statement on fault or injuriesWaymo says a member of its "risk and insurance team reviews every collision" (Waymo). Give the facts it needs to open a file, then talk to a lawyer before any recorded statement. Do not say you are fine; say you are being checked.
Nothing signed and no payment taken before you know your injuriesA release ends the claim for every injury, including the ones that show up next week. Ask in writing what any payment covers, and send the paperwork to us before you sign it.

Driver safety and the 911 call

Call 911 if anyone is hurt, then move to a safe spotWaymo's collision page asks drivers to move to a safe location to exchange information (Waymo). If anyone was hurt, Vehicle Code 20008 requires each driver to make a written report to the CHP or the city police within 24 hours.
A doctor the same dayName every part of you that hurts. The gap between the crash and the first medical record is the first thing an insurer measures.

The other car and company

The license plate, even part of itWaymo's guide for police says each of its cars is "identified by license plate" (Waymo), and Zoox puts its plate on the front, the rear or both (Zoox). The plate ties the crash to one car.
The company marking near the bumper cornersWaymo's guide shows the marking “TCP 38152A” near the front and rear bumper corners (Waymo). It matches Waymo's state carrier certificate (CPUC), so it names the company, not the car; get the plate as well.
On a Zoox, the VIN through the windowA Zoox robotaxi looks the same front and back and has no steering wheel. Zoox says its vehicle identification number "is visible through the window near the right-side sensor pod" (Zoox). Photograph it with the plate.
Whether anyone was in the driver's seatIf a person was behind the wheel, ask for that person's name, license and insurance as you would with any driver. If no one was driving, there is nobody at the scene to exchange with, and the company that operates the car is who you report to.
Where the car went, if it kept drivingWaymo says its car "may continue driving after a collision occurs to reach a safe spot to stop," and that its dome light signal "indicates that the Waymo Driver is aware an event has occurred" (Waymo). Note the direction, the street and where it stopped.

Driver photos and nearby cameras

Photos of the car's position, lights and roof sensorsPhotograph it where it stopped, from far enough back to show the lanes, then the damage, the plate and anything lit on the roof. Waymo's collision page mentions a roadside assistance representative coming to the scene (Waymo), and the car may be moved after that, so get its position first.
Your car, both plates and the lanesThe damage on both cars, close up, and a wide shot that shows the lane lines and the signal. Where the damage sits often settles who moved into whom.
Cameras within sight of the spotStorefronts, doorbells, a bus, a parking garage. Write down each address and ask the owner to keep the footage; we follow with a written preservation request. The robotaxi's own cameras are a separate record that the company holds.
Witnesses, and anyone who filmed itA first name and a phone number is enough. With no other driver at the scene, a witness may be the only person who can describe what the car did.

Reports for drivers

For a Waymo, call 1-844-263-9885 or scan the QR code on a front doorWaymo's collision page lists that line, the QR code on either front door, an online collision form and insurance@waymo.com for anyone involved in a collision (Waymo). Write down the reference number you are given, who you spoke with, and when.
For a Zoox, the number on either end of the vehicleZoox's California first responder plan lists (833) 322-2277, and the robotaxi's recorded message tells people to "call the number on either end of the vehicle" (Zoox). Zoox Support also takes calls and texts at 1-888-477-5055 (Zoox). Zoox keeps the registration and proof of insurance in a clip inside the charge port door, which Zoox can open remotely.
If you hit a driverless car, stop and leave your informationVehicle Code 20002 requires a driver in a property damage crash to stop and either notify the owner or leave a written notice and notify the police. With no one in the car, use the company's collision line, form or QR code, note when you did, and report it to the police as well.
The time to the minute and the exact spotWhen one of these companies files a federal crash report, the public copy removes the street address and the day of the month but keeps the month, the time and the city (NHTSA). Your exact time is how a report is matched to your crash, and our self-driving car crash lookup searches them.
The officer's name, agency and report numberAsk which agency took the report: the city police, the sheriff or the CHP. Vehicle Code 20012 requires the agency to release it to people with a proper interest, including anyone named in it as injured.

Your insurer and the DMV

Tell your own insurer, and ask about collision coverageCollision coverage may pay to repair your car, less the deductible, and your insurer may then pursue the company. That can move faster than waiting on the company's own review.
The SR-1 to the DMV within 10 daysVehicle Code 16000 requires a driver in a crash with an injury, a death, or more than $1,000 in property damage to report it to the DMV within 10 days. Your duty does not depend on whether the other car had a driver.

Driver statements and releases

Facts to the company, not a recorded statement on fault or injuriesWaymo says a member of its "risk and insurance team reviews every collision" (Waymo). Give the facts it needs to open a file, then talk to a lawyer before any recorded statement. Do not say you are fine; say you are being checked.
Nothing signed and no payment taken before you know your injuriesA release ends the claim for every injury, including the ones that show up next week. Ask in writing what any payment covers, and send the paperwork to us before you sign it.

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.