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Can dashboard cameras help you in event of a car accident?

On Behalf of | Oct 25, 2018 | Firm News

More and more motorists in Louisiana are turning to dash-cams, small video cameras that mount on the dashboard of your car.

The cameras record footage of your driving The camera records footage of your driving, with the hope of capturing accidents. But do they protect drivers from liability?

Understanding dashboard cameras

The thought process behind a dashboard camera is simple. Everything is caught on tape, and no encounter is ever up for debate. A dashboard camera gives you video evidence for any incident. It can also help you in event of an injury claim. The camera might be able to document the impact absorbed by your car.

Dashboard cameras record on a rolling loop, like a security camera. The driver never needs to worry about clearing memory or maintaining the camera. They also range from under $100 to over $1,000, so they are accessible.

It makes sense why so many motorists are choosing to record their driving habits.

Using cameras as evidence

When it comes to using cameras to prove injury claims, many companies now recognize the usefulness of dashboard footage.

Not only can a dashboard cam show who’s at fault in an accident, but it can also approximate the speed of each vehicle. If you know you were not at fault, dashboard footage can help back up your assertions. It can also help reinforce your injury claims, as the camera can determine collision speed.

The flipside of this is that a dash cam will record your poor driving decisions as well. If you run a red light or fail to yield at a stop sign, that’s going to be easy to see on film.

Legal ramifications of dashboard cameras

While dashboard cameras can help you determine fault in an accident, it’s important to always follow state and federal laws. Louisiana requires recording consent for audio. This means if you get a dash cam with audio, always tell your passengers that your camera is recording. If this feels like too much work, it’s usually possible to turn off the audio recording.

Because roads are public, other cars do not have an expectation of privacy. However, dashboard camera footage can be evidence in court. Law enforcement can subpoena dash cams, so never delete footage of an incident. Even if you are clearly at fault, deleting footage can get you in more trouble.

Dashboard cams can help you with an injury claim after a car accident, but speaking with a skilled attorney is still a good idea.