5 Reasons to Own a Dash Cam

With our busy roads and the widely publicised ‘cash for crash’ scams, sales of dashboard cameras - dashcams - are healthier than ever. These small cameras capture and record the forward view from your car and footage can be used as evidence in the event of an accident. Some models also record the rear view for added reassurance and manufacturers are even starting to put them in some models as standard.

1. Who is at fault?

When an incident happens, sometimes there aren’t any witnesses or it’s so busy nobody stops to offer their details. In this case, insurance companies usually share the blame - and therefore financial impact - between the parties involved even if one driver was at fault. Dashcam evidence can help prove who was to blame and therefore help mitigate any losses for the innocent person.

Remember, a dashcam also records what you were doing prior to the accident so while another driver may have performed an illegal manoeuvre, if you were speeding, for example, the blame could sit with you.

2. What did the witness really see?

Even with a witness, sometimes statements aren’t completely reliable. Perhaps they saw the aftermath but not the critical few seconds leading up to an incident. Perhaps they know one of the people involved and are more likely to offer a biased report of the event. A dashcam will simply record what happened and video evidence can then be assessed from a legal rather than personal perspective.

3. Cash for crash

Cash for crash is where a criminal causes an accident then seeks to gain some form of compensation. The scams may take various forms but they are usually setup to make the innocent driver look like the guilty party.

• A car in front might brake very hard for no apparent reason causing you to hit it from behind. It might even be reversed into your car deliberately - and without a witness, there is little to prove it wasn’t your fault.

• Another recognised manoeuvre is for a driver to wave or flash headlamps to let you out of a side road then deliberately crash into your car.

• A scammer might carry passengers in the car so each can claim for injuries such as whiplash.

These accident often appear genuine and you might only realise it has been a scam when your insurers share the other driver’s view of events which seem inaccurate or exaggerated. A dashcam can help prove your innocence.

If you know your driving is being filmed, there’s a good likelihood you will be more careful on the road. Insurance companies have recognised this and a number will offer discounts to drivers with dashcams fitted.

5. Peace of mind

There are enough things to be concerned about in life. So if a dashcam can remove some of the worry about having an accident which isn’t your fault, that’s a big plus.

Remember…

Obscuring part of your windscreen is an offence so unless it is a manufacturer-installed camera, you will need to position it carefully.