It’s been three years since a driver plowed into Megan Odett and her one-year-old son in a Washington, D.C. street, and even now, she can’t fully straighten her leg.
“They never caught the person who left me lying in the crosswalk, curled up around my son,” Odett, 35, told The Huffington Post by phone last week.
The three witnesses to the crash couldn’t agree on the driver’s license plate number, so no one was ever prosecuted. Though Odett was on foot when she was hit, she normally travels with her children on a 100-pound cargo bike. After several close calls cycling, the crosswalk crash was the final straw that prompted her to wear a GoPro camera on her rides.
“I didn’t have any faith if that were to happen to me again, the person responsible would be brought to justice and kept off the road,” said Odette, the force behind Kidical Mass D.C., a group that promotes safe family biking.
Odette is just one of many cyclists turning to a "black box:" an impact-resistant, mountable camera that records footage during a ride. The small, hi-res cameras could serve as a deterrent for motorists who may otherwise drive recklessly or harass bikers. More commonly, though, they’re a form of insurance for bikers who can provide footage for police after a crash.
In 2012, the most recent year with full data, 726 cyclists were killed in motor vehicle-involved crashes, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety administration. Even when they’re not fatal, bike crashes can become financial and legal catastrophes, said Chicago-based personal injury lawyer Brendan Kevenides, whose firm specializes in bicycle advocacy.
Such incidents add up: according to the NHTSA data, some 49,000 cyclists were injured in crashes with cars in 2012.
Kevenides told The Huffington Post that having a point-of-view camera is especially helpful in cases of hit-and-runs, since the proximity to the vehicle as well as the image and audio quality are better than that of red light and surveillance cameras. In other cases, the camera is an impartial observer that can help determine which party was at fault.
"What the driver says happened and what the cyclist says has happened can help break that tie," Kevenides said. If it’s the cyclist who’s at fault, Kevenides added that “a video a lot of times will prevent the hassle of going to trial.”
The video holds up well in court as long as a biker gets on the stand and testifies that the film clearly and accurately depicts what happened, according to Kevenides.
"[Point-of-view] cameras are invaluable for legal purposes,” he said.
The market is already reacting accordingly. In February, Australian entrepreneurs launched the Fly6, a combination rear bike light and audio/visual camera specifically designed to record drivers behind a cyclist who may rear-end, cut off or unsafely pass a biker.
Australian cyclist Paul Ludlow was able to use the Fly6 footage below to turn the tide on an investigation in which police initially believed the account of the driver who allegedly cut Ludlow off.
“[The camera] proved everything,” Ludlow told HuffPost via email. “The police then advised me that they were going to charge the driver as he had failed to give way to an oncoming vehicle.”
Kevenides said it’s a shame to put the onus on cyclists to defensively record potential violations against them, and he hopes the cameras ultimately function as deterrents.
“When drivers become more aware that people are using cameras, they’ll be more careful — if for no other reason that they’re likely to get caught,” Kevenides said.
Dina Driscoll agrees. A 30-year-old Philadelphian who bikes with her kids, she wears her camera mounted to her helmet.
“It’s the most visible to drivers,” Driscoll explained, saying it's had a positive impact for her. “I point to it sometimes if a driver is being really aggressive, [as if to say] ‘Hey, I notice you.’”
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.