Dash cams are becoming increasingly common, but perhaps you’re unsure if you should invest in one for your vehicle. Are they just another trendy gadget? Or do they provide a smart, convenient way to protect yourself on the road? Should you have a dash cam? Let’s put it this way: If you’ve ever been in a serious accident or faced a false claim, you know how valuable clear evidence can be. Though a dash cam is a small, inexpensive device, it could make a big difference. Let’s explore why adding a dash cam to your vehicle could be a true game-changer.
What Is a Dash Cam?
A dash cam is a small camera mounted inside your car on the interior of its windshield. It records everything in front of your car when you drive, and some models also record everything behind your vehicle. Many dash cams include a “parking mode” as well, which works as a theft deterrent when you’re away from your car.
You can submit dash cam footage to law enforcement officers and insurance companies following an accident, theft, or vandalism incident.
5 Reasons to Get a Dash Cam
If you don’t drive for your job, you might think, “Why should you have a dash cam?” However, having a dash cam installed in your vehicle offers multiple benefits, including all the following:
1. It could act as a silent witness.
A dash cam records everything that happens while you’re behind the wheel. It captures events in real time, which means it offers several benefits to you. In a car accident, a dash cam will show what happened before, during, and after the incident. Since the video evidence is incontrovertible, it helps to prevent false accusations of your liability when another driver is at fault.
You can use dash cam footage as evidence of the other driver’s fault, the damage to your vehicle, the relative speeds of both vehicles, and your injuries. Since insurance adjusters look for objective evidence to determine fault, having video evidence can strengthen your claim. If you don’t have eyewitnesses or video evidence, proving fault after a car accident can be more difficult.
2. It could prevent insurance fraud.
According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), insurance fraud in the US costs more than $308.6 billion each year. Insurance fraud can range from a clearly liable driver attempting to blame the other driver for a collision to criminal schemes designed to defraud insurance companies and their insureds. For example, a driver might stage an accident and then claim you caused it. If you have a dash cam, the footage can quickly demonstrate your innocence and be used as evidence of insurance fraud by the police against the culpable party.
3. It could protect your vehicle against theft and vandalism.
If your dash cam includes a parking mode, it records footage of the area around your vehicle while it’s parked. When motion occurs around your car, the dash cam starts recording. Many dash cams allow you to see the footage from your mobile device via an app. If you see someone attempting to break into your car or preparing to vandalize it, you can take action to prevent that from happening. Having a dash cam in your vehicle recording what potential thieves are doing can also serve as a deterrent.
4. It could help you fight traffic tickets.
Law enforcement officers are human, and therefore not always correct. In some cases, they might erroneously issue tickets to people for traffic violations they didn’t commit. For example, an officer might catch a different driver speeding on their radar in a car that appears similar to yours and then stop you for speeding instead.
Some dash cams include additional features, including speedometers, night vision, and GPS. For the previous example, having footage that shows the other vehicle speeding around you can help you fight the speeding ticket. It’s also possible to show the footage to the officer, which may help you avoid the ticket altogether. If you are still given a ticket, you can use the footage in court to defend against the citation.
5. It allows you to monitor your teen’s driving habits.
If you have a new driver in the family, you want to ensure that they drive safely at all times. Mounting a dash cam in their car with advanced features allows you to monitor how they behave behind the wheel. If you see them driving unsafely, you can take appropriate action to correct their driving behavior.
Contact Our Experienced Attorneys
Whether you have a dash cam or not, if you’re involved in a collision, talk to the experienced attorneys at the Law Offices of Bryan Musgrave. We can explore the details of the accident and talk to you about your potential legal claim. Call us for a free consultation today at 417-322-2222 or send us a message online.