As the Christmas shopping season begins, you may be considering what to get the person in your life who has everything. Although arming vehicles with cameras has grown in popularity, there may still be some drivers who aren’t familiar with the benefits of on-dash mounted cameras. Simply known as dashcams, these nifty devices are an affordable Christmas gift for any driver in your life.
In addition to their affordability, dashcams can save a lot of heartache in the aftermath of a crash. They have the ability to turn a “he-said-she-said” situation into one of concrete proof that you were not at-fault for your injuries.
Five Benefits of Having a Dashcam
Dashcams have the ability to record inside and outside of the vehicle. Getting video evidence of a car crash can go a long way in your personal injury claim. In many cases, businesses with security footage of your crash may be hesitant to turn over video evidence. Hiring a personal injury attorney immediately after a crash may help preserve this evidence and prove your case. But if you wait too long, or if there is no video of your crash, having a dashcam may help prove the truth is on your side.
1. Provide Proof You Are Not At Fault in a Crash
Documenting the actions of others is by far one of the top reasons why drivers choose to invest in a dashcam. The camera will start to record as soon as you start your car’s engine. It provides real-time, straight-to-the-point proof of another person’s actions that led to a crash. If you are in a car crash, turning video evidence over to your attorney can help prove that it wasn’t your fault.
Often, police reports only tell one side of the story. Unfortunately, the story is rarely that of the person who is injured and taken away by an ambulance. For this reason, police reports may state the wrong party at fault. In a situation like this, the strongest and most efficient proof you have for defending yourself would be dashcam footage. Ultimately, it is one of the best investments that you can make to save time, money, and trouble in the long run.
2. Capture Crime
Some dashcams have additional features that make them valuable, even if you’re not involved in an accident. Most dashcams have a “parking mode” that automatically turns on if someone hits your car when it is parked. Additionally, there are dashcams that have GPS functionality built-in. This means that if anyone tries to steal your vehicle, you’ll be able to recover it (or you’ll have a better chance of doing so than if you didn’t have one).
3. Encourage Safe Driving
Another way that a dashcam could encourage you to be a better driver is by reviewing recordings of your previous drives. This gives you the ability to see how you can correct any driving mistakes you made. A dashcam could help you notice some driving patterns that you might not have seen otherwise, like driving too closely to the vehicle in front of you or braking too late.
4. Help Prevent Fraud
Unfortunately, insurance fraud is quite common in the 21st century, even on the road. Fraud not only affects insurance companies on a large scale, but it also takes a toll on drivers. In these scams, unscrupulous people may cause a car crash and say that the other person caused the wreck in an effort to cash in on the insurance money.
Dashcams can help protect you from falling prey to these schemes. By recording as you drive, you can easily prove that you weren’t at fault if a crash was caused intentionally by another person.
5. Fight a Ticket
Not all benefits of a dashcam stem from car accidents and personal injury. They can also help you avoid paying unnecessary fines such as a citation for a traffic violation you didn’t commit. If the options above didn’t convince you to invest in a dashcam, perhaps knowing that a dashcam can help you avoid wrongfully-issued tickets will. If you are ticketed for something you didn’t do and you have a dashcam installed, you may be able to prove your innocence. Not only will this save you from paying a fine, but it will prevent the accumulation of points on your driving record, which can increase your auto insurance premiums.
What are the Cons of Having a Dashcam?
Regardless of how a dashcam can help your case, it’s still important to do everything you can to avoid a crash. Not only do dashcams document the mistakes of others, but they also document anything you may have done. Defense attorneys and attorneys for insurance companies can use the video to point to loud music, talking with passengers, changing the music, or any other activity you may have done in an attempt to pin the blame on you.
Even if you have a dashcam, you should adhere to the rules of the road and remain free of distractions.
The Carlson Law Firm Cares
If you are involved in a car accident and need legal representation. The Carlson Law Firm is ready to help. If you happen to have a dashcam, this could help your case when it comes to collecting evidence. Speak to an attorney right away to determine your next legal steps in the aftermath of an auto crash.
