The Santa Monica Police Department said a driverless Waymo vehicle struck a student in a low-speed collision near Grant Elementary on Jan. 23, 2026 at about 8:31 a.m.. The child reportedly entered the street outside the crosswalk and away from the crossing guard; no injuries were reported and a parent was present. Waymo notified NHTSA the same day and said its system slowed the vehicle from ~17 mph to under 6 mph before contact; NHTSA has indicated it intends to open an investigation.
Driverless Waymo Vehicle Involved in Low-Speed Collision With Student Near Santa Monica Elementary — No Injuries Reported
Driverless Waymo vehicle strikes child in California
Santa Monica, CA — January 23, 2026: A driverless Waymo vehicle was involved in a low-speed collision with a student near Grant Elementary School, the Santa Monica Police Department said. Authorities reported the child was not injured.
The Santa Monica Police Department told Fox News Digital that officers responded at approximately 8:31 a.m. to a traffic collision near 24th Street and Pearl Street, adjacent to Grant Elementary.
A Waymo autonomous taxi in San Francisco, California, on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025.(Getty Images)
According to the department’s preliminary information, the student entered the roadway outside the available crosswalk and away from the on-duty crossing guard, and was involved in a low-speed, non-injury collision with the autonomous vehicle. Santa Monica Fire Department personnel evaluated the student at the scene; no injuries were reported and a parent was present. Officers conducted an on-scene investigation and said the incident remains under review.
Waymo Statement and Safety Details
Waymo, an Alphabet subsidiary, issued a statement saying it voluntarily notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) the same day. The company said NHTSA has indicated it intends to open an investigation and that Waymo will cooperate fully.
A Waymo drives across Congress Avenue on 8th Street in front of the Capitol Building as rain arrives in the Austin area on Friday, Jan. 23, 2025, ahead of anticipated drops in temperature and freezing rain over the weekend.
"The pedestrian suddenly entered the roadway from behind a tall SUV, moving directly into our vehicle's path. Our technology immediately detected the individual as soon as they began to emerge from behind the stopped vehicle," Waymo said.
Waymo said the Waymo Driver braked hard, reducing speed from approximately 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact. The company cited a peer-reviewed model indicating a fully attentive human driver in the same situation would have made contact at roughly 14 mph, and argued the lower impact speed demonstrates a material safety benefit of its system.
Waymo added that following contact the pedestrian stood up, walked to the sidewalk, and the company called 911. The vehicle remained stopped at the scene and moved to the side of the road only after law enforcement cleared it to leave.
Next Steps
The incident is under local review by Santa Monica police and is expected to be investigated by NHTSA. Officials and Waymo said they will provide additional information as the investigations proceed.
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