Self-driving cars used to be the kind of thing you’d only see in sci-fi movies – something that felt futuristic and years away. But fast forward to today, and they’ve become a regular part of city life, especially in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles.
They’re not just privately owned, either. Companies like Uber are already integrating autonomous vehicles into their ride-hailing platforms, offering real passengers real rides without a human behind the wheel.
But with this new tech comes a new set of risks, especially when things go wrong. After autonomous vehicle accidents, figuring out who’s responsible isn’t as simple as pointing to the driver. Let’s break down what you need to know.
7 Facts and Statistics on Autonomous Vehicle Accidents
It’s easy to assume that cars without human drivers would crash less. But the data says otherwise—at least for now. Here’s why you shouldn’t be complacent – and why speaking to a self-driving car accident lawyer could make all the difference after a crash.
1. AVs have a higher crash rate than conventional cars
In 2022 alone, 1,552 AVs were registered for testing in the state. These vehicles drove a total of 5.7 million miles and were involved in 150 reported collisions. That puts the crash rate at 96.7 per 1,000 AVs and 26.3 per million miles traveled.
Now compare that to traditional vehicles in California during the same year, which had a crash rate of 7.0 per 1,000 vehicles and 0.7 per million miles. Nationwide, the numbers were only slightly higher, with a rate of 20.9 crashes per 1,000 vehicles and 1.9 per million miles.
The bottom line is that autonomous vehicles are crashing at a significantly higher rate, over 13 times more than the U.S. average.
2. Rising crash numbers reveal the growing pains of self-driving tech
According to NHTSA data, between June 2024 and March 2025, there were 570 reported crashes involving cars with automated driving systems in the U.S. The number of monthly crashes steadily increased from 42 incidents in June 2024 to a peak of 81 in December 2024. Crashes remained high in early 2025, with 77 incidents each in January and 76 in February.
3. California leads ADS crash reports, logging over 60% of all incidents
Out of all U.S. states, California reported the highest number of ADS crashes, 761 incidents, more than 60% of the total. It’s followed by Arizona (269) and Texas (103), with all other states reporting significantly fewer crashes.
4. Rear-end damage is most common in ADS vehicle crashes
Rear-related damage dominates crash reports involving ADS-equipped vehicles, with rear left (451 cases) and rear (407 cases) leading all damage types. Combined, rear-end impacts account for over 35% of all reported damage, suggesting ADS vehicles are more likely to be hit from behind than from any other direction.
5. Most AV crashes involve other cars, but injuries remain rare
Of the 1,208 reported autonomous vehicle crashes, passenger cars were the most common collision partners, accounting for 489 incidents, followed by SUVs with 254. Despite the frequency of these car crashes, 1,083 cases reported no injuries, while only one fatality was recorded, underscoring a pattern of low injury severity in most ADS-related collisions.
6. AV crash rates may appear worse due to mandatory reporting
While the numbers look bad, they don’t tell the whole story. AV companies are required to report any collision, no matter how minor. That includes parking lot bumps and slow-speed nudges. Most of these aren’t high-speed wrecks or life-threatening situations.
Compare that to crash reports for human-driven cars, which often rely on police reports and insurance claims. If no one gets hurt or calls the cops, the crash likely never gets logged. So, the real crash numbers for regular drivers could be a lot higher.
7. Many AV crashes are caused by human error around the vehicle
Most of these incidents happen because of human behavior around the AV, not because the tech is wild or unpredictable. Here’s what tends to cause these collisions:
- A human driver gets impatient and tries to swerve around the slow-moving AV
- A cyclist or e-scooter misjudges the AV’s stopping pattern
- A distracted driver rear-ends an AV because it braked cautiously
In 2022, just ten of the 150 AV collisions involved pedestrians, cyclists, or e-scooter users. The rest involved other vehicles – motorcycles, trucks, or regular cars.
In most cases, the AV followed protocol. But still, a crash is a crash – and when it involves a two-ton machine and a human body, even minor mistakes can escalate quickly.
Regardless of Autonomous Vehicles, Accountability is Necessary
Autonomous vehicles are changing how people get around, especially in urban hubs like Los Angeles and San Francisco. But like any new technology, they come with risks. Just because there’s no human behind the wheel doesn’t mean crashes won’t happen. Autonomous vehicle accidents still occur, often with regular vehicles and sometimes with serious consequences.
If you were hurt in a crash involving a self-driving car, you shouldn’t have to deal with the aftermath on your own. RMD Law is here to help. Our team of personal injury lawyers will guide you through the legal process and get you the justice and compensation you deserve.
Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
