Witherite Law Group Raises Concerns Over Autonomous Vehicle Performance in Emergency Response Scenarios Amid Waymo National Safety Campaign
Roadway safety advocate Amy Witherite points to real-world incidents that raise questions about autonomous vehicle behavior during emergency operations.
Amy Witherite, founding attorney of Witherite Law Group and a leading advocate for Texas traffic safety, says Waymo’s new national TV campaign declaring its driverless vehicles “safer than a human” rings hollow next to a growing record of autonomous cars obstructing emergency responders including a Dallas deputy constable forced to negotiate with a stalled robotaxi near the scene of a fatal gas explosion.
Dallas County Precinct 5 Deputy Constable Jonathan Banda was working the scene of the May 28, 2025, gas explosion at an apartment complex that killed three people, injured five, and drew more than 100 firefighters when he encountered an empty Waymo vehicle stopped sideways in the roadway, potentially blocking fire engines and other first responders. “The vehicle was not moving and was blocking over half of the road,” Banda said. “I was hoping the car would move before other first responders arrived.”
