January 2, 2026 | Car Accidents in Atlanta
As more and more self-driving cars hit the road, accidents involving these vehicles are starting to increase. However, determining liability after a self-driving car accident can be challenging. There are several potential defendants who could be responsible for your injuries if you are hurt in a self-driving car accident.
Keep reading below to learn more.
Liability for Car Accidents in Georgia
Georgia is an at-fault state for car accidents. This means that the driver who caused the accident could be responsible for damages resulting from the accident.
Most car accident claims in Georgia are based on the concept of negligence. This essentially means that someone’s carelessness caused the accident.
What Must Be Proven to Establish Negligence in Georgia
To prove negligence, you must show:
- Duty of care: The defendant owed you a legal duty to behave in a reasonable manner under the circumstances. Drivers have a legal duty to operate their vehicles in a safe and reasonable manner to avoid accidents.
- Breach of duty: You must show that the defendant failed to uphold the accepted standard of care. Instead, they acted in a manner that a reasonable person would not have acted in a similar situation.
- Causation: The defendant’s actions (or inaction) were the direct cause of your injuries.
- Damages: You must have suffered some type of damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Determining negligence is typically straightforward with a human driver. However, when a self-driving car is involved, establishing responsibility requires a thorough investigation and significant evidence.
Why Self-Driving Car Accidents Are More Complex
Proving fault in self-driving car accidents can be complex because multiple defendants may share liability. These vehicles utilize advanced technology, including multiple cameras, hundreds of sensors, and sophisticated software operating systems. A failure of any of these components could potentially lead to an accident.
Who Is at Fault for a Self-Driving Car Accident in Georgia?
Some of the parties who could have liability for a self-driving car accident in Georgia include:
- The vehicle manufacturer
- Equipment suppliers or manufacturers
- Contractors
- Software developers or software companies
- Third-party drivers
If the self-driving car’s technology or hardware failed, the product manufacturer or software developer could be held liable under product liability laws.
How Fault Is Investigated in Atlanta Autonomous Vehicle Crashes
Determining liability in a self-driving car accident often requires a more technical investigation than a traditional crash. Investigators may review vehicle sensor data, software logs, camera footage, and system alerts to determine whether the vehicle was operating autonomously and whether any malfunctions occurred.
This process may also involve accident reconstruction specialists and technology experts who can analyze whether the vehicle’s systems responded appropriately or if human intervention was required. Because critical data can be overwritten or lost, prompt investigation is often essential in these cases.
How Georgia Law Handles Shared Fault in Self-Driving Car Accidents
Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence rule. This means an injured person may recover compensation as long as they are less than 50% at fault for the accident. If a victim is found partially responsible, their compensation is reduced by their percentage of fault.
In self-driving car accidents, fault may be divided among multiple parties, such as a human driver, a vehicle manufacturer, or a software developer. Determining each party’s share of responsibility requires careful analysis of vehicle data, system performance, and driver behavior at the time of the crash.
When a Human Driver May Still Be Liable
Keep in mind that many self-driving cars are not fully autonomous. There may be situations in which the vehicle needs to hand off the driving responsibility to a human driver. This handoff does not always go smoothly. The human driver could be distracted and might not take over driving as they should.
In those situations, the human driver’s negligence could be responsible for the crash. Given the numerous possibilities, a thorough investigation is necessary to determine the cause of the crash. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you use the right experts to determine the cause of your accident and who has liability for your injuries.
Contact Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC, for a Free Consultation With an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer
If you were injured in an accident involving a self-driving vehicle in Atlanta, you may be facing complex questions about fault and compensation. These cases often involve advanced technology, multiple potentially liable parties, and aggressive insurance defenses.
If you suffered serious injuries after an accident in Atlanta, Georgia we are here for you. If you’d like to schedule a free case consultation with an experienced Atlanta car accident attorney from Goldstein & Hayes, LLC, please don’t hesitate to call (404) 869-8600, or you can visit our office:
Goldstein & Hayes Accident Lawyers
3060 Peachtree Rd NW UNIT 1000,
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 869-8600
