Can You Be Held Liable in an Accident if Your Self-Driving Car Breaks Traffic Laws

Can You Be Held Liable if Your Self-Driving Car Breaks Traffic Laws?

As self-driving cars become more common, accidents involving these vehicles are raising new legal questions: If your autonomous car breaks traffic laws and causes a wreck, can you be held responsible? The answer depends on the circumstances—and current U.S. laws are still evolving to keep up.

At Witherite Law Group, we help victims of self-driving car accidents in Dallas, Fort Worth, TX, Atlanta, GA, Chicago, IL, and beyond. If you’ve been injured in a crash involving autonomous vehicles, we’ll help you understand your rights and determine who’s at fault.

How Liability Can Work in Self-Driving Car Accidents

In a traditional car accident, the driver is typically held responsible for breaking traffic laws. But when self-driving technology is involved, liability can get complicated. Here’s how current U.S. laws approach these cases:

Driver Liability

Even with autonomous vehicles, most laws still require a human driver to remain alert and ready to intervene. If you’re in a car where human oversight is necessary and you fail to take control in time, you could be held liable.

For example: If your self-driving car runs a red light because you weren’t paying attention, you may be responsible under existing traffic laws.

Manufacturer Liability

If the accident was caused by a defect in the car’s technology, the manufacturer of the vehicle or its autonomous systems may be held accountable. This includes:

• Malfunctioning sensors, cameras, or radar.
• Software glitches that caused the car to break traffic laws.

Shared Liability

In some cases, multiple parties share responsibility, including:

• The car owner, for failing to maintain the vehicle.
• The software developer, if the programming caused the error.
• Third parties, such as road maintenance providers or other negligent drivers.

These scenarios require thorough investigation to determine the root cause of the accident—and who should pay for the damages.

What Happens When Autonomous Vehicles Cause Accidents?

Accidents involving self-driving cars are unique because of the complexity of the technology and liability laws. Amy Witherite, founder of Witherite Law Group, explains:

“Self-driving cars aren’t perfect. If the sensors fail, if the software glitches, or if the human driver doesn’t step in when needed, someone has to be held accountable. But these cases are far more complicated than standard car wrecks.”

In a self-driving car wreck, we focus on:

• Vehicle Data Logs: Autonomous vehicles record everything. This data shows what the car “saw” and how it reacted.
• Maintenance Records: Poor upkeep could result in system failures that cause the car to break traffic laws.
• Human Intervention: Was the driver able—or supposed—to step in and take control?

Who’s Really Responsible? Current Laws Are Evolving

While U.S. laws currently lean toward driver responsibility in partially autonomous cars, the legal landscape is changing. Many states are pushing for clearer regulations as fully autonomous vehicles hit the roads. Until then, cases involving self-driving car accidents require skilled legal teams who know how to navigate these complexities.

Contact Witherite Law Group Today to Speak with our Car Wreck Lawyers

If you’ve been injured in a self-driving car accident, you don’t have to figure this out alone. Contact Witherite Law Group today for a free consultation. We’ll investigate your case, determine who’s responsible, and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Self-driving cars may be the future, but your safety and your future come first. Let us help you seek justice today.