Autonomous vehicles (AVs) have the potential to improve road safety, accessibility, and productivity. Several cities already have AVs on their roads, and many more are considering legislation that would allow testing or deployment. There are many benefits and risks of AVs, as well as the questions—including labor force displacement—that will need to be answered as the technology becomes more integrated into society. How much do you know about AVs? Let’s play “Two Truths and a Lie” and find out.
A. Roadway accidents are the leading cause of death for children and young adults worldwide.
B. Women are disproportionately impacted by the traffic fatality problem and other safety issues.
C. Autonomous vehicles do not improve road safety by aiding or replacing human drivers.
A. TRUTH! Approximately 1.19 million people each year globally are fatally injured in traffic crashes. In 2025, there were nearly 37,000 traffic fatalities in the United States. Human error figures prominently in these crashes. Over the past few decades, legislators have sought to reduce fatalities through legislation and regulations, such as seat belt and airbag mandates. States also institute alcohol limitations based on blood alcohol concentration to stop impaired driving. These interventions have helped, but they cannot eliminate human error.
B. TRUTH! Women face distinct and well-documented risks as passengers and victims of impaired or aggressive drivers. Research also indicates that a belt-restrained female driver is more likely to sustain severe injuries than a belt-restrained male driver in a similar crash. Sexual harassment and assault by rideshare and taxi drivers are widely documented, with thousands of incidents reported annually. From 2017 to 2022, over 400,000 U.S. Uber trips resulted in reports of sexual assault or misconduct. This is a small number compared to a reported 6.3 billion total trips from 2017 to 2022; however, it is still 183 reports per day, or roughly one every eight minutes.
C. LIE! A 2025 peer-reviewed study examining data from Waymo on more than 50 million fully driverless miles on public roads found 80% reductions in crashes compared with human drivers on the same streets.
Bottom Line:
Autonomous vehicle technology has the potential to make roads safer and more accessible, especially for women and their families. Data on AVs currently operating on the roads in select cities provide encouraging signs for significant improvements in saving lives by reducing human operator error.
Labor markets for human drivers are projected to be heavily disrupted, with estimates of around five million drivers displaced—both full-time and independently contracted labor. This will require careful consideration by policymakers on how to support labor force adaptation and transitions.
For policymakers considering whether to allow AV operation within their borders, the greatest challenge will be balancing risk prevention and innovation. Resolving this tension will enable society to realize the full benefits of AVs and transform driving for the better.
To learn more, read the Policy Focus: Autonomous Vehicles.