American roads are dangerous. Real dangerous. Distracted drivers, inebriated motorists, reckless wannabe racers, and wayward pedestrians turn casual drives into potentially deadly endeavors. Incidentally, a dash cam can save the day when it comes to dealing with police and insurance providers. That, or it can capture incredible events like a man stopping his car in traffic to rescue a toddler as he runs between cars.

One driver’s dash cam footage captured a potentially deadly situation and one lucky kid

A Virginia motorist was on his way to work, driving with his dash cam pointing at the road ahead. It was a typical commute until the driver noticed something out of the ordinary. He stopped his car in the middle of the road and flung the driver’s side door open. The camera footage captured the man stepping in front of his vehicle.

So what would prompt such a maneuver on a busy road? The driver noticed a toddler wandering beside the road ahead with no adult in sight. Fortunately, the driver was able to rescue the little daredevil without an issue. And his dash cam captured the whole event. The little kid had reportedly slipped away from his teachers at a nearby Montessori school, per CBS 6 Richmond. 

Of course, a dash cam is far from an entertaining source of driving footage. Sure, YouTube and other social media sites are practically brimming with shots of near-misses, death defiance, and kinetic crashes. However, the popularity of the dash cam resides in its usefulness as evidence. Drivers can use their camera footage to empirically prove details like speed, position, and the actions of other drivers.

What’s more, drivers can submit their dash cam footage to their insurance provider after a crash. While it might not be a “magic bullet” in an insurance claim, the footage could contribute to your provider’s decision. In this case, the dash cam captured a fortunate outcome for what could have been disastrous.

Watch the video of the daring little kid and the rescue below!