ST. LOUIS – Dashcam video from a Virginia police officer is going viral as it shows the dangers of reckless driving. The officer jumps out of harm’s way when a car loses control at 120 miles per hour.
“That’s one of the scariest parts of our jobs in law enforcement or any type of first responder. A lot of our job is done right there on the side of the road,” said Cpl. Logan Bolton, Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Bolton said, unfortunately, crashes like the one from the video happen everywhere, including Missouri.
“Just recently up on 70, Lake St. Louis officers and St. Charles County officers were struck on the road. Then we just had troopers pretty much the same scenario,” he said.
Bolton said drivers failing to move over is an issue.
“Somebody flies by me in the lane closest to me and it is eye opening. It’s a lot closer than what you would ever expect it to be, and it’s a wow moment. This is dangerous,” he said.
Bolton said they’re also driving at dangerous speeds.
“Since the pandemic, when traffic was light, people upped their speed. We saw it all the time. We saw a lot of cars going over 100 miles an hour, and it doesn’t seem like that’s died down yet,” Bolton said.
The 17-year-old driver from the video in Virginia is facing reckless driving. Bolton worries for anyone on the side of the highway.
“I worry sick for those guys, because they’re on the side of the road with all these crazy people,” he said.
It is the law in Missouri and Illinois to move over for first responders.
