First it was rear-view cameras. Now, more drivers are choosing to install dash cams in their vehicles. Mounted to the dashboard of the vehicle, these cameras record video and audio while you drive.
The goal is to capture every detail of your trip, and that footage can be used for a variety of purposes.
Here’s why more people are installing dash cams in their vehicles.
They Provide First-Hand Evidence of a Car Accident
Most people install dash cams in their cars to protect themselves in an accident. The cam’s footage serves as evidence of what really happened right before, during and after the collision.
“As with rear-view cameras, dash cams can show the actions of all individuals involved in a motor vehicle accident,” says law firm Mainor Wirth. “The recording can show when a driver veers out of his lane of traffic, runs a red light, accelerates unexpectedly, or is driving while distracted.”
Dash cams can catch drivers doing things that are otherwise hard to prove. And in cases of hit and run accidents, the camera may be able to catch the driver’s license plate number as he or she speeds off.
If you’re in an accident, the footage captured by your dash cam can be used as evidence and help prove your case.
Parents Can Keep Tabs on Their Child’s Driving Habits
Worried parents can use a dash cam to keep tabs on their child’s driving habits. If your teen has a bad habit of taking your car out for a spin in the middle of the night, the camera can capture him or her in the act.
Whether you want to watch for bad driving habits or keep an eye on where your teen drives, a dash cam can be a useful tool for parents with young drivers.
Help Prevent Fraud
Dash cams can be used to help prevent insurance fraud. Some drivers purposely cause accidents to blame other drivers and extort money from them. The driver is usually innocent, but has no way of proving it.
Maybe the fraudster slammed on his brakes and the other driver hit him from behind. These types of accidents are almost always blamed on the driver who hit from behind.
Those who carry out these scams often demand money for hospitalization and compensation for the expense and “pain.”
A dashboard cam can prevent scammers from trying to take advantage of you. The footage will serve as proof that you did nothing wrong.
Capture Your Entire Road Trip
Dash cams are typically installed for protection – against fraud and in case of an accident – but they can also be used for fun.
A camera can capture your entire road trip, allowing you to relive those moments whenever you want. If you’re the one doing the driving, the footage from the camera will allow you to see things that you may have missed while you were keeping your eyes on the road.
Capture Funny and Memorable Moments
Have you ever watched those funny clips of people trying to park or those near-miss accidents? Most of these videos are captured on dash cams.
You never know what you will encounter when you’re out on the road. A dash cam allows you to capture every moment of it.
