5 Reasons to Buy Your Family Dashcams for Christmas

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 have dropped in price making them a far more affordable Christmas gift for the driver in your life. In addition to their affordability, dash cams 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. Dashcams can capture every sound and images of events both inside of the vehicle, as well as on the road. 

What are the 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. 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 and provide you with real-time, straight-to-the-point proof of another person’s actions that led to your crash. If you are involved in a car crash, turning the 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 and this story is rarely in favor of the person who is injured and taken away by ambulance. For this reason, police reports may list 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. To capture crime 

Some dashcams have additional features that make them valuable, even if you’re not involved in an accident. Most dash cams have a “parking mode” that automatically turns if someone hits your car when it is parked. Additionally, there are dash cams that have GPS functionality built-in, meaning 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 if you didn’t have one). 

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. Although they come from great intentions, there is a possibility of wrongly given tickets to occur. If this happens to you, and you have a dashcam installed, you may 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. 

3. Dashcams encourage safe driving

The dashcam is a great tool to bring relief to concerned parents over their new drivers taking the road. Dashcams have the capability can give you footage on the driving the teen engages in.

Another way that a dashcam could encourage you to be a better driver is by reviewing recordings of your previous week drives. This gives you the ability to see how you can correct any driving mistakes you made, such as switching lanes abruptly or braking too hard. You might notice some driving patterns that you might not have seen, like driving too closely to the vehicle in front of you or braking too late. 

Being a better driver should give you a good driving record. This should result in obtaining (or keeping) a good driver discount. 

4. Can help prevent fraud

Insurance fraud is quite common in the 21st century when it comes to vehicle traffic. Fraud not only affects insurance companies on a large scale, but it takes a toll on drivers too. In 2015, an announcement was made by multiple insurance companies that said they would be accepting dashcam footage as evidence in the event of a claim. There are unscrupulous people that are on the road and will want to cause a car crash. What will happen is that they will say that the other person caused the wreck in an effort to cash in on the insurance money. 

With the help of a dashcam, your driver can record their journey, and if they encounter these types of drivers, they can easily prove that the accident was done intentionally. You and your other drivers will be safe from these types of insurance frauds. 

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.

What are the cons of having a dashcam?

Regardless of how a dashcam can help your case, it is still important that you are doing 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.

It is important that even if you have a dashcam, that you continue to 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.