LONE TREE, Colo. — A horrific crash that shut down Interstate 25 in Lone Tree for hours on Saturday was captured on dash camera video. It’s video that’s serving as an important safety reminder about the importance of buckling up.
Brian Sanniola is the driver who recorded it. He bought his camera about a year ago, hoping to protect himself against possible insurance fraud but never really thought it would record something that could help police with an investigation.
“Just seeing that is a horrific thing. You’re not sure what’s going to happen,” he said of the accident.
The video captured a speeding driver clipping the back of another car. That sent him into the median, then airborne and onto the highway.
Law enforcement nationwide is turning to drivers with increasing regularity for dash camera video. Most drivers in the United States don’t have cameras mounted to their dash, but they’re very common in countries like Russia.
Jordan Levine is among a growing number of attorneys who are also praising the benefits of dashboard cameras.
“We’re constantly looking for video. I’d rather have video than an eyewitness,” Levine said. “It tells the story. It does away with the he said, she said thing and you can get the answer to all the questions you have.”
But drivers are using the cameras for different reasons, an eye on their vehicle to make sure nothing happens when they’re not around.
You don’t have to search long on YouTube to find all kinds of videos showing the various benefits of the cameras: Drivers fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run, vandals keying the side of a car and vehicles running traffic lights, all caught on camera.
“Hopefully, you never have to use it, but when you do it’s there,” Sanniola said.
Most important, the cameras are also capturing video that should serve as a wake-up call, an important safety reminder about what can go wrong when you don’t buckle up.
“Buckle up; it can save your life,” said Levine.
The driver injured in Saturday’s crash was rushed to the hospital. Police have not released his name or updates on his condition.