The future of transportation has already arrived in Phoenix. Self-driving vehicles now share the road with thousands of Arizona drivers every day, and advances in autonomous technology promise to make travel safer, smarter, and more convenient.
But as more people hand over the wheel to artificial intelligence, one question remains: Can you trust technology with your life?
Even the most advanced autonomous systems cannot eliminate every risk. And when a crash happens, determining who is legally responsible can be far more complicated than in a traditional car accident.
What the Latest Waymo Crash Data in Phoenix Shows
New Waymo crash data from Phoenix suggests the company’s autonomous vehicles are involved in significantly fewer injury crashes than human drivers.
That’s encouraging from a public safety standpoint, especially as autonomous vehicles become a familiar sight across the Valley.
According to data released by Waymo in June 2026, its autonomous robotaxis were involved in approximately 70% fewer injury-causing crashes than the average human driver. Phoenix remains Waymo’s largest operating market, with more than 68.6 million miles driven on local roads through December 2025.
The numbers are notable. Human drivers in Phoenix are involved in 1.98 injury crashes per million miles driven, while Waymo vehicles recorded 0.58 injury crashes per million miles.
For crashes involving serious injuries or fatalities, the difference was even greater. Human drivers recorded 0.10 crashes per million miles, compared with 0.01 per million miles for Waymo vehicles.
While these figures suggest autonomous technology may reduce many crashes caused by distraction, fatigue, or other forms of human error, they do not eliminate the possibility of serious collisions. They also do not answer the legal questions that arise when someone is injured.
What the NHTSA Data Shows
Waymo and other autonomous vehicle operators must report qualifying crashes involving automated driving systems to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a federal requirement that has been in place since 2021.
NHTSA data covering June 2025 through May 2026 shows that most reported Waymo crashes resulted in no injuries. About 10.7% involved an injury, and the majority of those injuries were considered minor.
During that reporting period, one fatal collision was reported. According to federal records, a motorcyclist struck the rear of a Waymo vehicle before falling into the roadway and being hit by another vehicle that left the scene.
Waymo also reported that approximately 40% of collisions involving its vehicles in Phoenix resulted in a speed change of less than one mile per hour, meaning many incidents caused only minor vehicle damage such as dents or scratches.
Better Technology Doesn’t Eliminate Legal Responsibility
Safety statistics can help measure how often crashes happen, but they cannot determine who is legally responsible when someone is injured.
Crashes involving autonomous vehicles often raise legal questions that do not exist in traditional car accident cases. Depending on the circumstances, liability may involve the human occupant, the autonomous vehicle company, another negligent driver, the vehicle manufacturer, or multiple parties.
That is why every autonomous vehicle crash deserves a careful investigation, regardless of how safe the technology appears on paper.
If You Were Injured in a Crash Involving an Autonomous Vehicle, Talk to an Attorney
Autonomous vehicles may be involved in fewer crashes overall, but the crashes that do happen can still cause serious injuries. And when a Waymo or other self-driving vehicle is involved, the legal questions are different from those in a standard car accident case.
Arizona law gives injured people the right to pursue compensation from negligent parties, whether that means a distracted driver, a vehicle manufacturer, or an autonomous vehicle company. Sorting out who is responsible takes a thorough investigation, and time matters.
The personal injury attorneys at Miller Kory Rowe, LLP have represented injured Arizonans across the Phoenix Valley, Tucson, and Globe. If you or someone you love was hurt in a crash involving an autonomous vehicle, contact us for a free consultation.