Federal transportation safety investigators have released preliminary findings in the January collision between a Waymo autonomous vehicle and a 9-year-old student near a Santa Monica elementary school, detailing the sequence of events that led to the low-speed crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board released its summary March 3, describing how a Waymo-operated 2024 Jaguar I-Pace struck the student pedestrian Jan. 23 at approximately 8:30 a.m. as she crossed midblock on 24th Street near Pearl Street in a school zone.
The unoccupied vehicle had just completed a passenger drop-off on eastbound Pearl Street at the stop sign in front of the school before turning left onto 24th Street and proceeding north, according to the NTSB. The crash occurred approximately 40 feet north of the boundary of an adjacent 15-mph school zone, in an area posted at 25 mph.
According to the NTSB, video from a school surveillance camera and from cameras mounted on the Waymo vehicle showed that a queue of five vehicles had formed in the southbound lane of 24th Street at the stop-controlled intersection with Pearl Street. The student exited the right rear door of the fifth vehicle in that queue, moved toward the front of her vehicle and entered the roadway, crossing at a rapid pace between her vehicle and a Chevrolet Suburban stopped ahead of her.
The Waymo vehicle was traveling north at 17 mph when it braked and struck the student near its front-right headlight assembly, the NTSB said. After the impact, the student fell, then walked to the east curb on her own. The vehicle continued braking and came to rest within the northbound travel lane almost immediately.
A Waymo remote assistance agent in Novi, Michigan, contacted 911 following the collision and later directed the vehicle to move to the curb north of the crash site, the NTSB said. The vehicle remained at that location until Santa Monica police arrived. The student reported minor injuries and did not require medical transport.
The NTSB noted that weather conditions at the time were clear, the roadway was dry, and daylight was present. The agency said all aspects of the crash remain under investigation as it works to determine probable cause, with the intent of issuing safety recommendations to prevent similar incidents.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation opened a separate preliminary evaluation of the crash Jan. 28. In its investigation summary, NHTSA said it is examining whether the Waymo vehicle exercised appropriate caution given its proximity to the elementary school during drop-off hours and the presence of young pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.
NHTSA said its investigation will scrutinize the automated driving system’s intended behavior in school zones and surrounding areas, particularly during normal school pick-up and drop-off times, including its adherence to posted speed limits. The agency said it will also investigate Waymo’s post-impact response. The vehicle was equipped with Waymo’s fifth-generation automated driving system, a platform with an estimated population of 3,067 vehicles.
Santa Monica police, who conducted an on-scene investigation the day of the incident, said preliminary information indicated the student had entered the roadway outside of an available crosswalk and away from an on-duty crossing guard. The incident remains under review by the department, which is listed as a party to the NTSB investigation along with Waymo.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District confirmed it was aware of the incident and said the student is safe. At the time, the district said it was in communication with the school and the family.
Waymo said it voluntarily contacted NHTSA the same day as the collision and said it will cooperate fully with investigators.
The NTSB cautioned that its preliminary findings are subject to change as the investigation continues.
editor@smdp.com