Dashboard cameras that are mounted onto the windscreen or dashboard of your vehicle have become increasingly popular among drivers in the past years. They are designed to capture every detail of your journey from start to finish with audio and video recordings; they are used in a variety of vehicles for different reasons such as taxi drivers, driving instructors, police cars and many more.
Benefits of using a dashcam
- Evidence of an accident – Having a dashcam set up in your vehicle can give you evidence of any accidents, such as a car crash or road rage incident. Dash cams are placed in a way that shows the majority of the road ahead so if anything happens, the camera will pick it up. Most UK authorities accept footage from a dashcam as evidence, and most insurance companies promote the usage of these to help determine blame where required. They may even offer a discount on their premium for having a dashcam in place.
- Safe driving – Having a dashcam in a vehicle can make drivers think twice before driving in a way they wouldn’t usually do if they weren’t being recorded. This is because if the driver finds themselves in an accident and they are to blame, then the footage will show this. This is a good way for businesses to keep a close eye on their drivers and encourage safety.
Disadvantages of owning a dashcam
- Distraction – Dashcams are a great device for capturing evidence of any type of accident, be it on the road or in the car, but they can be distracting when the driver is trying to concentrate. To counteract this, if there is an option to put the screen to sleep then this should be used. The positioning of a camera on a dashboard or a windscreen can also create a blind spot for the driver because some can be quite large. It is like having a phone in the way when you are trying to see.
- Theft – Dashcams are usually positioned in the vehicle where they are in plain sight from the outside. This may encourage passers by to break into your vehicle and steal the dashcam (and maybe also more valuable items) left in the car. Some dashcams are hard to remove so they are left in position overnight and others are made to be easily mounted in the vehicle and removed without a struggle so just be aware of this if you are thinking of purchasing one.
- Invasion of privacy – If dashcam footage is uploaded to any social media channels such as Facebook or YouTube, the sharing of an incident can result in the case being thrown out at court if the defendants rights have ben compromised. There is also the danger of a recording of someone from your dashcam being seen as a violation or infringement of a person’s privacy.
