Have you seen all kinds of unusual dash cam footage happening on Russian roads? Are you curious why does everyone in Russia have a dash cam installed in their car?
Well, there are three major reasons dash cams are so popular in Russia, and I will cover them in detail in this article. Stick around to find out what those reasons are.
Why Does Everyone in Russia Have a Dash Cam?
There are several reasons why dash cams are so widely used in Russia. One of them is to avoid insurance scams. Another is to avoid being falsely accused of a crime by the police. Russians also love sharing unusual accidents that happen on the roads.
As you can see, the first two are important reasons Russians use dash cams. On the other hand, the third may have resulted as a consequence of the first two. So now that you know the three major reasons why Russians widely use dash cams, let’s take a closer look at each one.
To avoid insurance scams
Because of how Russia’s system operates and the corruption of law enforcement, many people decide to use dash cams to protect themselves from insurance scams.
First of all, driving in Russia can be dangerous. This is because the people there rarely pay attention to road signs and speed limits and drive like they are untouchable.
Poor road conditions are another factor, as well as the absence of monitoring equipment like the one in modern countries worldwide.
As a consequence of all these factors, there have been many situations where people deliberately throw themselves in front of vehicles to cause an accident, with hopes for material gain.
As a driver in Russia, there is no other way to prove if you are right except to record what happened. In favor of Russians, dash cams are cheap and quite useful, which is why millions of drivers in Russia use dash cams.
To avoid being falsely accused of a crime by the police
The other major factor which results in the widespread use of dash cams in Russia is police corruption and the lack of state protection mechanisms. It may even be the most important factor that compelled Russian citizens to take action, showing the world how their law enforcement systems operate.
Russia ranks 136th among the most corrupt nations in the world. The lower the rank number is, the lower the corruption. A great part of that corruption comes from the traffic police and all levels of education and education departments.
Some examples of corrupt traffic officials in Russia include drunk officers, officers looking for a bribe to let you go without a large fine, or officers imposing fines because they feel all-powerful.
But it is not all that bad, as there have been many reforms, especially in the major cities, where corruption levels have significantly decreased over the years. Unfortunately, high levels of police corruption still endure in less populated and underdeveloped areas. This is where people are forced to use dash cams and protect themselves from injustice.
Read more: Why Are All Dash Cam Videos From Russia?
The third reason that explains why does everyone in Russia have a dash cam is that they use them to record and share unusual events and accidents on YouTube or social media.
All kinds of dash cam content are permitted in Russia because of its negligent online content policies. In other words, these policies are not strict, meaning that people can add all kinds of disturbing content on the internet and get away with it. Many of them do it to have fun and make high incomes while at it.
A famous example is the surfacing of multiple recordings from Russian drivers of the flying meteor over the city of Chelyabinsk. Other examples show how a criminal escapes the back of a police car once it stops at a traffic light. Another shows a high-speed chase like the one you would see in Hollywood movies.