Teamsters Union Demands California Suspend Waymo After Robotaxi Hits Child Near School

Teamsters Union Calls for Statewide Suspension of Waymo Operations

Teamsters California, representing roughly 250,000 workers across transportation and trucking industries, has urged the California Public Utilities Commission to indefinitely suspend Waymo's license to operate in the state 1

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. The demand follows an accident on January 23 when a Waymo robotaxi struck a 5-year-old child near a Santa Monica elementary school during drop-off hours 2

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. The child reportedly ran from behind a parked SUV into the path of the self-driving taxi, which was traveling at roughly 17 miles per hour before its automated driving system detected the child and braked hard, reducing speed to under 6 miles per hour before contact 1

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Significant Safety Concerns Emerge Around School Zones

The incident has amplified concerns about road safety in areas with vulnerable pedestrians. According to Waymo, the child stood up immediately after the collision and walked to the sidewalk, sustaining only minor injuries 2

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. The vehicle called 911 and remained at the scene until cleared by law enforcement 1

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. NHTSA has opened an investigation examining whether Waymo's driverless taxi service exercised appropriate caution given its proximity to the elementary school during drop-off hours and the presence of young pedestrians 1

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. This NHTSA investigation will also evaluate the robotaxi's intended behavior in school zones, a critical factor as driverless technology expands into residential areas.

Pattern of Incidents Raises Questions About Public Safety

This isn't the first time Waymo has faced scrutiny over school safety. In December, the Alphabet-owned company recalled more than 3,000 vehicles to fix software that caused them to drive past stopped school buses with flashing lights 2

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. A separate NHTSA investigation is examining reports that Waymo vehicles continued to fail stopping for school buses despite the software recall 1

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. Since Waymo launched self-driving taxi operations in California in 2024, the state DMV indicates that over 900 autonomous vehicle collisions have been reported, with most involving Waymo vehicles 2

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. In January alone, several incidents occurred across California, including a near-collision with a family in Los Angeles 2

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Labor Opposition Intensifies Over Replacing Human Labor with AI

"This incident is emblematic of the broader goal Big Tech companies have to replace skilled human labor with AI," said Teamsters co-chairs Peter Finn and Victor Mineros in a statement 1

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. The union argues that companies like Google and its parent Alphabet are forcing millions into job displacement by destroying livelihoods through automation 2

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. The Teamsters union warned that without intervention from the California Public Utilities Commission, "the next incident could be much worse" 2

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. Labor opposition to robotaxis extends beyond California—last year, Teamsters Local 25 backed a proposed ordinance commissioning a study on autonomous vehicle impacts and supported legislation requiring robotaxis to have human operators 1

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. Waymo responded to the incident by stating it remains "committed to improving road safety where we operate as we continue on our mission to be the world's most trusted driver" 1

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. As federal and state regulators weigh the balance between innovation and public safety, the collision highlights ongoing tensions between Big Tech's automation ambitions and concerns about protecting both human labor and vulnerable road users in communities across California.