Key Takeaways: What To Do After a Self-Driving Car Accident

  • Call 911 and Document the Crash: Take photos of the vehicles, damage, and anything showing whether an automated system was active.

  • Don’t Assume Who Was at Fault: A driver, vehicle manufacturer, technology company, or fleet operator could potentially share responsibility.

  • Preserve Vehicle Data: Electronic records from the vehicle may prove what happened before the collision.

  • Watch Your Deadline: Georgia limits how long you have to bring an injury claim, so don’t put off getting answers about your options.

Self-driving car accident claims must answer: “What was controlling the vehicle, and did the technology contribute to the crash?”

At Franklin Law, we help injury victims navigate the aftermath of serious crashes and automotive defects. In this guide, we explain why self-driving crashes differ from traditional passenger-vehicle crashes, who bears responsibility, and the steps you should take to protect your claim.

How Common Are Self-Driving Car Accidents?

Self-driving car accident statistics are hard to compare because the technology varies widely.  SAE classifies driving automation from Level 0 to Level 5. At Level 2, the driver still supervises the vehicle, while Levels 3 through 5 can handle the driving task under certain conditions.

A 2026 IIHS study found that Waymo’s Level 4 driverless vehicles had 68% fewer police-reportable crashes per mile than human drivers in the same cities and years. The self-driving car accident rate vs. human drivers applies to the Waymo vehicles studied, not automated vehicles overall.

How Are Autonomous Vehicle Accident Injury Claims Different from Other Car Crashes?

A driverless car accident raises questions about who controlled the vehicle and whether the technology contributed to the crash. Manufacturers, technology developers, or fleet operators may share blame in an injury claim.

Who Is Liable After a Self-Driving Car Accident in Georgia?

Georgia law allows fully autonomous vehicles to operate without a human driver when certain requirements are met. Liability after a self-driving car accident depends on what caused the collision and which people or companies contributed.

Potentially responsible parties may include:

  1. The Vehicle Manufacturer: If a design or manufacturing defect contributed to the crash, the manufacturer may be responsible under Georgia product liability law.
  2. The Technology Developer: If another company developed the automated driving system, investigators may need to determine whether a problem with that technology contributed to the crash.
  3. The Vehicle or Fleet Operator: A company operating a driverless fleet may be responsible for how it maintains, monitors, or deploys its vehicles. Its role in the crash and available insurance may factor into the claim.
  4. Another Driver: An automated vehicle’s involvement does not mean its technology caused the crash. Another driver may have caused or contributed to the collision.

Georgia also allows fault to be divided among multiple responsible parties. If the injured person shares some fault, it may reduce the compensation they recover in proportion to their fault.

Steps to Take Immediately After a Self-Driving Car Crash

When automated technology is involved, the steps to take after a car accident are critical to protecting your safety and preserving digital evidence.

Step 1 — Call 911 and Secure the Scene

Call 911, check for injuries, and follow the responding officer’s instructions. When it’s safe, photograph the vehicles, damage, road conditions, and any signs that an automated system was active.

Step 2 — Document the Scene and Preserve AV Data

Depending on the system, an automated vehicle may record telemetry, camera footage, sensor data, or other details about its actions before the crash. An attorney can identify what records may exist and request to preserve any relevant evidence

Step 3 — Seek Medical Attention and Report to Insurance

Get medical attention for your injuries and notify your insurer about the crash. Stick to the facts when reporting what happened, and avoid settling before you know the extent of your injuries and the cause of the crash.

Step 4 — Contact a Georgia Personal Injury Attorney

A Savannah car accident attorney at Franklin Law will review the crash and help determine which parties and evidence need a closer look.

Common Mistakes to Avoid After a Driverless Car Accident

  • Assuming the Automated Vehicle Caused the Crash: The technology may have played a role, but another driver or another party could also share responsibility. 

  • Missing Signs That Automation Was Active: Photograph displays, vehicle markings, or other information that may help establish whether an automated system was operating.

  • Waiting to Preserve Electronic Evidence: Vehicle data held by the manufacturer, technology developer, or fleet operator may help determine what caused the crash. 

  • Settling Before You Have the Full Picture: An early offer may come before you understand your injuries or know who shares responsibility for the crash.

  • Taking Too Long to Take Legal Action: The Georgia personal injury statute of limitations sets a two-year deadline for most injury claims. Missing the applicable deadline can prevent you from pursuing compensation.

How a Georgia Attorney Builds Your Self-Driving Car Accident Case

Franklin Law brings experience with serious automotive accidents and product defect cases to complex self-driving vehicle claims. If you were injured in a self-driving car accident in Savannah or elsewhere in Georgia, contact our team for a free case review to learn about your legal options.

We’ll help you:

  • Preserve Electronic Evidence: We’ll identify who controls relevant vehicle records and send preservation requests before important evidence is lost. 

  • Reconstruct the Crash: Physical evidence, video, witness accounts, and vehicle data can help reconstruct the crash. Some cases may also require testimony from automotive or accident reconstruction experts.

  • Identify the Responsible Parties: We’ll determine whether a driver, manufacturer, fleet operator, or another party contributed to the collision.

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Driverless Car Accident Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is liable if a self-driving car hits me in Georgia?

It depends on what caused the crash. Responsibility may fall on the vehicle manufacturer, the company that developed the automated driving system, a fleet operator, or another driver. More than one party can share fault, and an investigation is often needed to sort out who contributed.

Yes. A person in the driver’s seat doesn’t rule out a claim. Many systems still require a driver to supervise, so the driver, the manufacturer, or both may share responsibility, depending on whether the automated system was active and how it performed.

Call 911, then photograph the vehicles, damage, road conditions, and anything showing whether an automated system was active, such as dashboard displays or vehicle markings. Get witness contact information if you can. Do not wait on electronic data, since the vehicle’s records may be held by the manufacturer or operator.

Depending on the system, an automated vehicle may record telemetry, camera footage, sensor data, and other details about what it did before the crash. This data can help show what was controlling the vehicle and whether the technology contributed. An attorney can send preservation requests before it is lost.

You may still recover compensation. Georgia allows fault to be divided among the responsible parties, and your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. Recovery is generally barred if you are 50% or more at fault.