SCOTTSDALE, AZ , In Old Town Scottsdale, a seemingly routine drive took a dangerous turn when a Waymo autonomous vehicle suddenly veered over the double yellow line and sideswiped Jaafar Yaseen’s car. According to Yaseen, the driverless vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic and came to a full stop in the wrong lane, creating a chaotic and unsafe scene.
“There was no driver, no warning,just a machine making a bad decision,” Yaseen told reporters after the incident. “It didn’t feel like a technical glitch. It felt like negligence.”
The crash is one of over 200 reported Waymo accidents in Arizona between 2021 and 2024, according to federal data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Although the majority of incidents were blamed on external factors, roughly 13% were directly linked to software errors, sensor failures, or poor interpretation of real-world conditions by the vehicle’s autonomous systems.
No Ticket, No Driver, No Accountability?
Yaseen’s case echoes concerns growing across the state that,when an autonomous vehicle is at fault, who gets the ticket? In this case, no citation was issued. And it’s not the first time.
In 2021, another Waymo vehicle rear-ended a car stopped at a red light. No ticket. In 2024, one crossed into oncoming traffic near a construction zone. Still, no citation. Law enforcement officials, including the Phoenix Police Department, admit that issuing moving violations to self-driving cars is a legal gray area.
“There’s no driver to cite, no one to hand a ticket to,” one officer said under condition of anonymity. “We’re not trained or equipped to police code written by Silicon Valley.”
Waymo’s Response: Fast Software Fixes, Slow Legal Clarity
Waymo has taken action in the past. Following two collisions in 2023 involving a towed vehicle, the company pushed a fleet-wide software update. A similar response occurred in May 2024, after a vehicle struck a utility pole.
While these tech solutions are swift and sophisticated, they don’t erase the damage done,or the legal complexity victims face in pursuing compensation.
What This Means for South Carolina and Georgia
While the crash happened in Arizona, its legal and technological ripples could be felt across the country,including South Carolina and Georgia, where state lawmakers are beginning to confront the rise of autonomous vehicle technology.
Currently, neither South Carolina nor Georgia has a comprehensive legal framework for autonomous vehicle accidents. If a similar crash happened in Charleston or Atlanta, it’s unclear how liability would be assigned, or whether a driverless car company could be held accountable as easily as a human driver.
Self-driving vehicle laws are still evolving,and slow to catch up with the pace of innovation. That leaves victims at risk of being left behind by both technology and the law.
Can You Sue After a Crash with a Driverless Car?
Yes,but it’s complicated. Filing a personal injury or property damage claim against an autonomous vehicle company requires deep technical knowledge, access to internal driving logs, and experience navigating corporate legal teams. It’s not like a traditional car crash lawsuit.
That’s why accident victims in South Carolina and Georgia should be proactive. If an autonomous vehicle causes harm,even if it doesn’t physically strike your car,you may still have a claim.
Examples include:
- Accidents caused by confusing or unpredictable autonomous movements
- Rear-end collisions due to software lag
- Unsafe lane changes or construction zone confusion
In these cases, evidence such as dash cam footage, police reports, eyewitness accounts, and even cloud-stored vehicle telemetry data becomes crucial.
Your Rights Matter, Even When the Driver Is a Machine
At Ted Law Firm, we believe that technology should never replace accountability. Whether a crash involves a human behind the wheel or a machine behind a sensor array, victims deserve full and fair compensation.
Our firm is actively monitoring the rise of self-driving vehicles in the Southeast and is prepared to help clients across South Carolina and Georgia who may be injured in these types of incidents.
If you’ve been affected by an autonomous vehicle crash, we can help:
- Investigate the incident
- Secure critical vehicle and software data
- File claims against large tech-backed insurance teams
- Fight for compensation for your injuries, medical bills, and emotional distress
Contact Ted Law Firm for Help Navigating the Future of Accident Law
As self-driving vehicles become more common in South Carolina and Georgia, the laws that govern them must evolve. Until then, injured victims need a law firm that understands both the complexities of personal injury law and the emerging world of autonomous vehicle liability.
At Ted Law Firm, We proudly serve clients across all of South Carolina and Georgia including Charleston, Greenville, Columbia, Myrtle Beach, and Atlanta. No matter where you are in either state, we’re here to help. And remember: you don’t pay a dime unless we win your case. There’s no risk, just experienced support from a team you can trust. You’re in good hands with Ted Law Firm.
Attorney Ted Sink, founder of The Ted Law Firm, is a Yale, Stanford Business School, and Charleston School of Law graduate and former marketing executive who built a 7-figure law practice, earning millions for his clients. With experience in both law and advertising, Ted has been recognized in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and the ABA Journal. He speaks at industry conferences on marketing and law firm management, sharing insights from his unique background to help other firms grow. When not working, Ted enjoys traveling, diving, and dog-sitting golden retrievers.
