Car Crash Interrupts Live Traffic Report, And The Anchor's Reaction Goes Viral
A traffic anchor recently went viral after he witnessed a car crash on live TV and posted a clip of it, as well as of his reaction, to social media. His response to it and the fact that the crash was broadcast during a live news report made the clip stand out, resulting in the video making it to Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
KJ Jacobs, who's featured in the clip, is a Cincinnati meteorologist and traffic anchor for WCPO 9. He also posts weather- and traffic-related content to his Instagram account @kjjacobs21, where he also posts content on other themes and his daily life.
On August 6th, Jacobs shared a clip of himself doing his usual traffic segment, reporting on the state of the I-71, when a crash happened, causing Jacobs to almost swear. The video racked up over 12.7 million views in the weeks since, as well as over 800,000 likes and 9,500 comments.
In the video, Jacobs is in the middle of doing his traffic segment, with the screen behind him showing Interstate 71 at Gilbert Avenue.
Cars can be seen driving in the road's lanes, though there is a car that is stopped, with its hazards on, between two solid white lines.
"I am watching this car right here," Jacobs says, pointing at the stopped car, before stating that this is the I-71 northbound. "This car's in a center lane; traffic is slowing down both sides," he continues.
However, right as Jacobs turns to face the camera again, something strange happens: one of the cars that was driving in the lane next to the stopped car's lane crosses the solid white line and quickly crashes into the aforementioned car.
Jacobs continues talking but turns just as the crash happens and lets out an "Oh sh-!" before quickly covering his mouth, realizing what he almost said, and apologizing.
"Literally just watched a crash happen in real time, and I almost said something inappropriate," he says, coming closer to that section of the screen and pointing at the crash.
The crashed car is still facing forwards, but the car that made the crash happen is facing sideways, standing across the solid white line.
"You can see this car smashed right into this car in real time," Jacobs says, pointing at one car and then the other. "That car was in a center lane with its hazards on; I was watching it closely."
"What I've seen so far, watching the cameras behind the screens," he continues. "I've seen cars coming in from this ramp here, this merge lane," he says, pointing at it, "and crossing over, hopping onto the interstate," he explains, before stating again what section of the interstate they were transmitting.
"So, just watched this in real time, that impact right there, can imagine what that felt like, and it would have sounded like had I heard it," Jacobs states, "but watching it now, now we've …" he says before the clip cuts off.
"First time seeing a crash on live TV during my traffic segment," Jacobs wrote over the video. "A natural reaction on LIVE TV, but I’m so glad I hit the brakes just in time!" he added in the caption.
In the comments, people were shocked at the second car’s actions, baffled at what he was trying to do and the fact that it crossed a solid white line, while others joked that the crashed car’s insurance could use this clip as evidence. Others said that Jacobs’s reaction was a perfectly acceptable one.
Because of the video’s virality, Jacobs made a follow-up video explaining how the moment happened, saying that he had pulled up to that camera because his mapping system had alerted him to a crash in that area.
He also stated that the people who were in the crashed car didn’t get life-threatening injuries and that the other car’s driver received a citation.
Finally, Jacobs also posted a clip of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, where Oliver talks about his viral video and states that Jacobs’s reaction to the crash was "a completely appropriate response" and that "that is called being a human being."
