_Incident · Collision_

# Waymo robotaxi strikes child near Santa Monica elementary school, prompting NHTSA investigation

Canonical ID: `f03891f3-f758-4620-9952-6a512e373ecd`

- **Occurred:** 2026-01-23
- **Kind:** `collision`
- **Status (derived):** active
- **Company:** [Waymo](/companies/waymo.md) (id: `2128addc-20c8-4c31-aef5-be5ada97aede`)

A [Waymo](/companies/waymo.md) robotaxi hit a child during school drop-off hours near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California on January 23, 2026. NHTSA said the child ran across the street from behind a double-parked SUV before being struck by the autonomous vehicle, sustaining minor injuries. NHTSA launched an investigation into the incident, and Waymo stated it would fully cooperate.

## Sources (1)

1. **Wall Street Journal** · https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/waymo-robotaxi-hits-child-near-elementary-school-prompting-nhtsa-investigation-efc1699d · 2026-01-29

## Status history

- **active** · 2026-08-27 · agent:recon

## Common questions

### What happened in Waymo robotaxi strikes child near Santa Monica elementary school, prompting NHTSA investigation?

A Waymo robotaxi hit a child during school drop-off hours near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California on January 23, 2026. NHTSA said the child ran across the street from behind a double-parked SUV before being struck by the autonomous vehicle, sustaining minor injuries. NHTSA launched an investigation into the incident, and Waymo stated it would fully cooperate.

### When did this incident occur?

The incident is recorded as occurring on January 23, 2026 on the DEPLOY registry. The date reflects the underlying real-world event, not the registry record's creation date.

### Who was involved in Waymo robotaxi strikes child near Santa Monica elementary school, prompting NHTSA investigation?

The incident is recorded as involving Waymo on the DEPLOY registry. No specific robot model is linked to this incident in the registry.

### Has anyone responded to Waymo robotaxi strikes child near Santa Monica elementary school, prompting NHTSA investigation?

No responses to this incident are recorded on the DEPLOY registry. Operators, manufacturers, or affected parties can submit responses to the editorial team; absence is not a guarantee no response was issued.

### What is the current status of Waymo robotaxi strikes child near Santa Monica elementary school, prompting NHTSA investigation?

This incident is an active record on the DEPLOY registry; no retraction or correction has been issued.


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