Why all sensible NJ drivers need to get a dashcam

For anyone in New Jersey who understands our rules of the road, you'll probably agree with me here. We have far too many drivers amongst us that simply don't know how to drive.

Whether it be not budging from the left lane to making an illegal left turn (hello there, jug handle), we deal with it all. And more often than not, there isn't a cop nearby to stop them.

ALSO READ: What New Jersey drivers need to be better tested for

That's where a dashcam would come handy. Especially if anything were to happen to your vehicle as a result of something someone else did, you'd at least have the proof to help defend yourself.

But outside of the reasons mentioned above, there's another big reason we all need those dashcams. To catch all those people who leave the snow and ice on their roofs in winter.

Flying snow and ice

This very thing happened to me after January's big snow storm. I was traveling on the Garden State Parkway when a vehicle I was approaching in front of me had a large amount of snow and ice on their vehicle.

They were in the right lane, and I was approaching in the center lane. Suddenly, all that snow and ice came flying off and a good chunk of it smacked my car.

ALSO READ: Why a post-storm ticket blitz in NJ is necessary right now

And when I say it hit hard, it hit hard. So hard that after I was able to inspect my car to see if any damage was done, the lower right side of my front bumper was cracked with part of it hanging underneath (I'm very lucky it did not hit the windshield).

If I had a dashcam, I would've been able to report this person and get reimbursed for the damaged caused by this lazy driver. But with no way to prove this was the cause, I'm stuck footing the bill for my own repairs.

Live and learn

It's that personal incident that happened to me that's encouraging me to get dashcams for my vehicles. Outside the snow and ice of winter, so many other things happen on our roads that people get away with.

And I urge you to get one too. If you're a sensible driver in New Jersey that doesn't do stupid things behind the wheel, you should get a dashcam to protect and defend yourself should anything happen to your vehicle as a result of another driver.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.