Eye on intersections: Utah's crash cams

ST. GEORGE — Cameras are popping up at Utah intersections, recording collisions at some of the state's most accident-prone spots.

Father and son team Aaron and Tate Langston started the company CollisionCam in 2023. In 2025, they've installed 58 total cameras. There are 32 in Salt Lake County and 26 across southern Utah.

"What, essentially, we're doing is putting up cameras to film these accident-prone locations for the sole purpose of capturing these crashes so we can get the footage to those involved, insurance companies, to police, and anyone else who has permission who needs the footage," Tate Langston said.

They work with businesses and talk to private property owners to get permission to install about five to 10 cameras each month.

"We do this all for free, so it's free extra security for the business owner," Langston said. "Our cameras have two lenses, so one can point back toward their parking lot or their business, that second stationary lens will go into the intersection, and we'll use that one to capture the crashes."

They offer every video to drivers who were involved for free. Langston said often times, lawyers will prefer to purchase it without getting their client involved.

"Insurance companies and law firms will pay for access to the footage because they'll use it in their litigation," he said.

The footage is uploaded to their website, where police can log in and review it.

"Those involved can reach out on our website, as well," Langston said. "We have a couple of questions to verify that it's the right person."

Their video, which is recorded from a higher vantage point than dash cameras, can reverse citations in some cases.

"It clears up a lot of 'he said, she said' scenarios," Langston said. "Our footage has actually overturned tickets."

Clearing up the record

Ralph Hilton credits CollisionCam with settling an accident he was involved in on May 6. He was driving south on River Road on his scooter when he ran into a truck heading east on Riverside Drive.

"As I was approaching the intersection here, I noticed over to my right a white truck started to advance into the intersection," Hilton said. "As soon as that happened, I hit my brakes. The truck advanced right in front of my path of travel. I slammed into the side of the truck. And that's all I remember."

Hilton said he came to in the emergency room at the hospital. That's where he said St. George police officers told him eyewitnesses reported he had run a red light.

A foggy Hilton said he was surprised.

"I'm a very careful defensive driver, and the thought of me going through a red light on my scooter is almost inconceivable," he said.

When Hilton saw the video of the crash online, it told a different story. He said police called him after reviewing the video themselves.

"They called me two days after they had witnessed the same video, and they apologized on the phone and said, 'We got bad information,'" he said. "It looks like you did go through on a green light."

According to Hilton, his injury lawyer firm said the video is irrefutable evidence. He said he was not cited and was able to buy a new scooter after his old one was totaled in the crash.

"I think it's a great service," he said. "In fact, I would think that the police should review some of that video before they officially get back and start issuing, perhaps, tickets."

Seeing is believing

A five-car crash near Red Cliffs Mall has been sorted thanks to a nearby CollisionCam.

"I was just sitting at the red light, waiting for my light to turn, and next thing I knew, a Bronco turned in front of a Suburban," said Charles Iverson. "The Suburban did not stop. And I thought, 'Oh, they're going to hit. Oh crap, they're going to hit me.'"

A dazed Iverson called his wife, Emily, when his vehicle was pushed about 10 feet back by two other cars that had collided and slid across the road at the intersection of Gateway Drive and Red Hills Parkway.

"His story didn't make sense to me and then coming and seeing it, the whole thing just didn't make sense," Emily Iverson said.

Then, the couple saw the video posted online.

"Being able to see the video kind of made it real, but it also just kind of brought it home how scary it is to just see all the impact that a split decision can make on so many people," Emily Iverson said.

CollisionCam emailed it to them for free.

"When you're in the stressful situation, you might have seen things differently, even if it's your fault, you might not have even realized it," Emily Iverson said. "So a camera can really just give us the facts."

It helped settle matters with their insurance company.

"They actually split the insurance responsibility 80/20 between the drivers, so there was accountability for both," Emily Iverson said. "At the scene, we didn't know that."

"When they were just going to say it was one-sided, the insurance company was saying that there was going to be a cap on it, and so everybody may not get what they're owed," Charles Iverson added.

Providing Closure

Most of the video CollisionCam records involve property damage. Langston said a serious crash involving a 92-year-old woman was one of the most heart-wrenching videos they've captured.

"We actually caught a wrongful death, which was really, really hard to talk to the victims, but also rewarding for us because that evidence was crucial for them, and gave them some peace of mind knowing what happened," he said.

Virginia Fisher and her son, Darin, were hit by a car while they were standing on the sidewalk on May 13.

"His head hits the windshield, it goes into the windshield, and then it carries them," Fisher's grandson, Dallas Richardson, told KSL.

Darin Fisher is recovering from serious injuries. Virginia Fisher didn't survive.

"Those are horrible to talk to the surviving family members," Aaron Langston said. "Those are just terrible. But it's good to give them closure."

Fisher's grandson told KSL the video helped the family understand what led up to the crash.

"You do have some pretty bad crashes, people are completely knocked out," Aaron Langston said. "They just want to know what happened. For those ones, we're able to deliver the footage. Sometimes those are a little more scary, a little more personal, a little more sensitive. But they always say, 'Thank you so much. This is just so good to see. We've had a closure on this.'"

CollisionCam locations

Below are some of the intersections where CollisionCam has installed cameras.

Northern Utah:

• 700 East and 3300 South
• 6200 South and Red Fox Circle
• 4100 South and Redwood Road
• 4700 South and Redwood Road
• 5400 South and 3200 West

Southern Utah:

• River Road and 700 South
• River Road and Riverside Drive
• Red Cliffs Drive and Mall Drive
• Stout Home Furnishings, Hurricane

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