A rain gutter saved this reckless driver from likely taking out several innocent drivers and their vehicles.
Maricopa County driver and Redditor /u/RedWBL shared headshaking from earlier last week (Jan 5, 2026) to the /r/IdiotsInCars subreddit showing a reckless driver, nearly hitting 100 MPH, losing control, and recovering thanks purely to luck.
Check out the harrowing dashcam footage below with the original Reddit thread linked here.
The incident happened on the northbound side of the 202/SanTan freeway just before Exit 38 onto Higley (Exact location on Google Maps linked here.)
As the dashcam shows, OP is driving in the slowest lane of the 202 and, despite going the speed of traffic at around 70 MPH, is actually speeding.
The posted speed limit is 65 MPH.
Suddenly, in their rear view, a driver in a Silver Toyota Corolla can be seen speeding towards and past them at what has to be at least 90 MPH.
The Corolla driver strafes across multiple lanes and literally loses control.
However, only by mere luck, they crash into a concrete drainage canal, which redirects them back onto the 202, ultimately allowing them to regain control.
You’d think they’d sober up after a near disaster like that, but such is not the case; they continue speeding on the slow lane, going wherever they’re headed.
“This recovery is pure luck. That rainwater trough saved this idiot’s a**. Otherwise, he would have spun and taken out who knows how many others,” the top comment from /u/styckx reads.
“Ah, yes saw the same thing minutes after passing the border between New Mexico and Arizona. We joked that that’s the way folks normally drive in Arizona,” /u/LadyMysterie shared.
“As an American, I will proudly say that more than half the people on the road should not be allowed to drive or have childrenBut we give out licenses to anyone who asks,” /u/Brynosauce added.
In Gilbert/Arizona, a typical speeding ticket on the freeway can cost roughly $150–$500+ in fines and court fees, depending on how far over the limit you were, and 3 points are usually added to your driving record for a speeding conviction. If you were cited for criminal or excessive speeding (way over the limit), you can face up to $500 in fines, possible court appearance, and the same 3 points, and accumulating 8 points within a year can trigger a mandatory traffic course or license suspension. (www.drivinglaws.org)
“Almost losing control” by itself isn’t a separate penalty category — officers could instead cite speeding “not reasonable and prudent” under state law, which still results in fines/points similar to ordinary speeding. (jacksonwhitelaw.com)
