It’s often difficult to establish what exactly occurred in a road accident. Dash cams help settle insurance disputes and claims. This guide will help you understand what dash cams are, how they work, and why they’re so useful.
What Are Dash Cams?
A dash cam is a small car camera that faces the road. It’s fitted on either the windscreen or the dashboard of a vehicle. It’s also helpful to install a rear dash camera. These cameras turn on whenever you start your car, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to start them. They also never stop recording, so you’ll always have footage of the entire journey.
You can time-stamp dash camera videos without tampering with the content.
This makes such cams a believable source of evidence in case of road accidents. There are dash cameras available on the market that will begin to record while the engine is turned off if they can detect a parking car causing damage to yours. In this way, if somebody breaks into or hits your vehicle while parking without leaving a note, then you could see who the culprit is. There are three main types of dash cams. They are the following:
- Front: these ones are used in order to record everything in front of the vehicle, such as the traffic situation. While this kind is the cheapest, it doesn’t let you see what’s happening behind you.
- Front and rear: this type records what’s happening both in front and behind you. There are many road accidents which occur at low speeds, involving rear-end collisions, so investing in such cams is really efficient.
- Cabin: these cams are often used in taxis because they offer a view of the inside of the car. If you share your vehicle or if you simply want to see your driving habits, you might wish to get this camera.
Are Dash Cams Legal?
Dash cameras are legal in the UK, which means that you don’t need a licence in order to own and use one. It’s important to note that you shouldn’t install such cams in any way that completely blocks or restricts your view. This is because, in case of an accident, if it’s established that the camera limited your vision or distracted you, you may be found at fault.
Dash Cam and Insurance Policies
There are several road accidents that are hard to interpret. In case there’s doubt regarding who’s at fault, such footage recorded by your camera is going to help you in the dispute. As a result, you might not need to pay anything if evidence shows that the other party is guilty.
What’s more, in case you have already paid, you can get your excess back. In addition, this type of clear proof can also protect your no-claim discount (NCD). Dash cams are becoming more and more common since they are able to deter insurance fraud, prevent car theft, and help you lower your vehicle insurance premiums.