You’re walking through a crosswalk in Dallas, Fort Worth, Atlanta, or Chicago, following the signal, paying attention, doing everything right. The light says walk. Traffic seems to have stopped. But then, without warning, a self-driving car rolls into the intersection and hits you.

There’s no one behind the wheel. No driver to yell at. No one to apologize. Just confusion, pain, and questions.

Self-driving and driver-assist vehicles are already on the roads in cities across the country, and while they’re promoted as safe and smart, pedestrians are still getting hurt.

If you or someone you love has been hit by a self-driving vehicle, the question becomes: Who’s responsible?

The answer isn’t always simple. But at Witherite Law Group, our self-driving car accident lawyers know how to dig deep, find the truth, and fight for the justice you deserve.

Understanding Liability in Self-Driving Car Accidents

When a traditional car hits someone, the blame usually falls on the driver. But when there’s no drive, or the driver is relying on automation, things get more complicated.

Depending on how the crash happened, several parties could be responsible:

1. The Manufacturer: If the car's sensors, braking systems, or cameras failed to detect a pedestrian, that’s a product defect. The carmaker may be liable.

2. The Software Developer: Self-driving cars run on complex code. If the software misread a situation or failed to respond correctly, the developer could be held accountable.

3. The Owner or Operator: Even in autonomous mode, the person inside the car may still have a duty to intervene. If they didn’t or failed to maintain the car they might share fault.

4. Another Vehicle or Driver: Sometimes, another driver causes the chain of events like in a recent case where a pedestrian was hit twice: once by a human-driven car, then dragged by a self-driving one. In these cases, multiple parties may share responsibility.

Real-World Example: The Cruise Incident in San Francisco

In late 2023, a Cruise autonomous vehicle (a division of GM) was involved in a horrific pedestrian crash in San Francisco. A pedestrian was first hit by a regular car, then hit again by a self-driving Cruise vehicle, which failed to stop and dragged her for over 20 feet.

The federal government opened an investigation. California regulators pulled Cruise’s license, citing public safety concerns and lack of transparency. Cruise later admitted it had not disclosed full details of the crash at first.

This case shows why every second matters after a crash, and how critical it is to have a legal team that knows what to look for and how to act fast.

Why You Need a Legal Team That Moves Fast

At Witherite Law Group, we have a Rapid Response Team (RRT) ready to jump into action immediately after a self-driving car accident. Whether you’re in Dallas, Atlanta, or Chicago, we’re built to move fast when your future is on the line. We work quickly to:

  • Secure vehicle data and logs before they’re overwritten or deleted
  • Identify surveillance footage or dash cams
  • Preserve physical evidence from the scene
  • Bring in accident reconstruction experts
  • Interview witnesses while memories are fresh

If a pedestrian was injured or killed, we know how to investigate whether the tech failed — and whether the company knew about that failure before your loved one ever stepped into the street.

Let Witherite Law Group Fight for You

When a self-driving car hits a pedestrian, the legal system isn’t set up to make it easy for victims. But that doesn’t mean you have to go through it alone.

Witherite Law Group has spent over 20 years fighting for people hurt in serious crashes. We understand how these vehicles work — and how these companies operate. More importantly, we know how to build a case that gets results.

  • We don’t back down from big tech or billion-dollar companies
  • We offer 24/7 support with bilingual teams
  • We work on a contingency basis, you pay nothing unless we win

Talk to a Self-Driving Car Accident Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one has been injured by a self-driving car, now is the time to act. Every day that passes is a day the evidence gets harder to find, and a day the company gets further ahead in its defense.

‍Call Witherite Law Group today to schedule a free consultation. Let us investigate your case, uncover the truth, and fight for the justice you deserve.

Self-driving cars are supposed to make roads safer. But when they fail, someone must be held accountable. We’re here to make sure that happens.