Dashboard cameras - the new must have?

According to the RAC, the number of drivers using dashcams has doubled over the past year. The research they conducted also concluded that ‘one in five (20%) of those surveyed had previously been involved in an accident where there was a dispute over who was at fault, 69% of whom believe a dash cam would have helped them solve their case.’

Car manufacturers have been working to capitalise on the gap in the market: it was reported in December 2015 that Nissan had reportedly fitted over two million cameras to their cars since 2014 including, but not limited to, front mounted dash cams.

The internet is awash with dash cam footage from countries where insurance fraud is widespread. As ‘crash for cash’ organisations and suspicious insurance claims become more common in the UK, the use of a dash cam may certainly help safeguard you.

Most dashboard cameras start recording as soon as you turn the engine on, while others have to be turned on manually. More advanced cameras also record while the vehicle is parked to discourage theft or vandalism. The video and sound is saved on to a memory card which can be reused once full, or kept in event of an accident; essentially a black box for your car.

Here are a few reasons you may decide to invest in a dashboard camera if your car isn’t already equipped with one.

Better Chance Of Protecting Your No Claims Bonus And Insurance Premiums

Many insurance claims can prove meticulously difficult to resolve fairly as each party denies responsibility. While police reports and other CCTV sources may paint part of the picture, it doesn’t always absolve you of the responsibility.

Clear video evidence from your car, which may contain the date, time and the speed of your journey, can provide your insurance company with better picture of the incident. The evidence may help a faster claims process and more importantly, enable you to protect your insurance premiums.

Protect Against ‘Crash For Cash’ Scams

‘The act of staging or deliberately causing a road traffic collision solely for the purpose of financial gain’, better known as ‘crash for cash’ scams. It costs the UK around £400 million a year according to the Insurance Fraud Bureau. The claims can range from loss of earnings, vehicle damage, and personal injury to themselves or passengers that may not have been present at the scene of the “accident”. Video evidence that will clearly show the circumstances of the incident would not only absolve you of the responsibility, but also help prosecute the perpetrators.

Capture Dangerous Driving

According to a government report, there were 36.5 million vehicles licensed for use on the road in UK; 30.2 million of these were cars, up until September 2015. This was up 8% on the same quarter last year, a trend which is set to continue.

As our roads get busier, it is inevitable that incidents of road rage and dangerous driving, becomes more apparent. At times, these incidents pass off without any altercations, at other times it can be more serious. On board cameras can help put a stop to these incidents and help make the roads safer for everyone.

Capture Memories

It’s not all doom and gloom, you can simply use an on board camera to capture some of the picturesque scenery Britain has to offer. If you’re in the right place, at the right time you might even be able to capture meteors falling to the Earth, as recorded on many car cameras in Russia in 2013!