The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched a Preliminary Evaluation into a Waymo autonomous vehicle that struck a child near a Santa Monica, California elementary school on January 23, 2026. The agency is examining whether the vehicle exercised appropriate caution given the school zone environment and presence of vulnerable road users.
Highlights
- NHTSA opened Preliminary Evaluation PE26001 on January 28, 2026, following a Waymo AV collision with a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, CA
- The child sustained minor injuries after running into the street from behind a double-parked SUV during school drop-off hours
- Waymo states the ADS reduced vehicle speed from approximately 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact
- The investigation covers approximately 3,067 vehicles equipped with Waymo’s 5th Generation Automated Driving System
Incident Details
The collision occurred within two blocks of an elementary school during normal drop-off hours. Multiple children, a crossing guard, and several double-parked vehicles were present in the vicinity.
According to NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation, the child ran across the street from behind a double-parked SUV toward the school and was struck by the Waymo AV. Waymo’s 5th Generation Automated Driving System operated the vehicle without a safety operator present.
Waymo voluntarily contacted NHTSA on the day of the incident and submitted its required Standing General Order (SGO 2021-01) report on January 28, 2026.
Waymo’s Account
In a blog post published January 28, Waymo provided additional details about the incident and its ADS response.
The company stated that its technology detected the pedestrian as soon as they began emerging from behind the stopped vehicle. According to Waymo, the system applied hard braking and reduced the vehicle’s speed from approximately 17 mph to under 6 mph before contact occurred.
Waymo referenced its peer-reviewed safety benchmarking model, claiming a fully attentive human driver in the same scenario would have made contact at approximately 14 mph.
Following the collision, the pedestrian stood up immediately and walked to the sidewalk. Waymo stated it called 911, and the vehicle remained on scene until law enforcement cleared it to leave.
The company said it will cooperate fully with NHTSA throughout the investigation.
Investigation Scope
ODI’s Preliminary Evaluation will focus on several key areas related to the ADS’s performance in school zone environments.
The investigation will examine:
- Intended ADS behavior in school zones and neighboring areas
- Performance during school pick-up and drop-off periods
- Adherence to posted speed limits in these sensitive areas
- Waymo’s post-impact response procedures
The agency aims to determine whether the Waymo AV exercised appropriate caution given its proximity to the elementary school, the time of day, and the presence of young pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.
Regulatory Context
This investigation falls under NHTSA’s Standing General Order 2021-01, which requires AV manufacturers to report certain crashes involving automated driving systems. The order enables the agency to collect data on AV incidents and assess potential safety defects.
The 5th Generation ADS is Waymo’s current autonomous driving platform deployed across its commercial robotaxi operations. The estimated population of 3,067 vehicles represents the scope of systems potentially affected by any findings from this investigation.
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