Ever wondered why there were so many videos roaming the web after last weeks meteor visit?

When freak traffic accidents occur, it’s very rare that you’ll have the fortune of having hard proof of what happened or a reliable witness at hand. And Russia’s judicial system happens to be a “pics or it didn’t happen” kind of affair. Naturally, the citizenry has stepped up to the challenge.

Apart from recording your stock-standard elk-collision for insurance purposes, dash-cams in Russia dissuade corrupt police from harassing Joe Public. Insurance Fraud also happens to be the second most lucrative crime in Russia, behind being the Prime Minister.* Naturally, most insurance companies actually insist that their client submit video footage with their claims.

Russian dash-cams are responsible for many of YouTube’s most extreme car crashes, hit and runs, street shootings, and siberian meteor showers.

Keep up the good work, guys.

[Source: Wired, CBS]