Santa Monica Waymo Vehicle Hits Child Near School
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SANTA MONICA, California — Federal and company records show that on Jan. 23 a Waymo autonomous vehicle struck a child near Grant Elementary School during morning drop-off. The child suffered minor injuries and was evaluated by emergency responders. Waymo reported vehicle braked from about 17 mph to under 6 mph after the child emerged from behind a double-parked SUV. The company said it notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which opened an Office of Defects Investigation inquiry to examine vehicle behavior and post-impact response. The vehicle operated Waymo's fifth-generation automated driving system. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.
Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.
Timeline of Events
- Jan. 23: Child struck by Waymo vehicle near Grant Elementary during morning drop-off.
- Jan. 23: Waymo reported the incident to NHTSA and issued a company statement.
- Jan. 24: NHTSA posted initial report describing child emerging from behind a double-parked SUV.
- Jan. 24–25: Local responders evaluated the child; reports indicated minor injuries and release.
- Jan. 25: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened a formal inquiry into vehicle behavior and post-impact response.
- Articles Published:
- 6
- Right Leaning:
- 0
- Left Leaning:
- 0
- Neutral:
- 6
- Distribution:
- Left 0%, Center 100%, Right 0%
Regulators, safety advocates, and researchers gained actionable incident data to evaluate autonomous vehicle safety and inform potential policy or oversight adjustments.
The child and local families experienced physical harm, emotional distress, and renewed safety concerns near the school.
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Santa Monica Waymo Vehicle Hits Child Near School
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