Have you been curious about why people install dashcams on their cars or trucks? Driving can be particularly dangerous with so many distracted and uninsured drivers on the road. Especially here in South Florida. Even if you follow traffic laws, you could still be the victim of someone else’s negligence.

This is where a dash camera can be advantageous. With a dash cam, you would have a video recording of the events of an accident, including evidence of the at-fault driver’s actions leading to the accident. These devices have many useful functions and features, from serving as an eyewitness to reckless driving to creating a visual record of your scenic vacation trip.

What Do Dash Cams Record?

Newer-model dash cams have high video quality and record wide-angle views of the area in front of your vehicle, while those with rear-facing cameras can record inside the car cabin and through the rear windshield. They also offer night vision, motion sensor activation when the car isn’t moving, and additional features like voice control and audio recording.

If you’re in a car accident, your dash cam can capture the movements of the drivers around you. This documentation can help law enforcement investigators determine if the driver who caused the accident was acting recklessly. Be reminded, however, that your dash cam can also record if you were speeding or driving recklessly, which can work against you in your personal injury case after a crash.

Pros of Having a Dash Cam in an Accident

The most obvious benefit to using a dash cam in your vehicle is the ability to provide an objective recounting of events. This visual evidence is useful when filing an accident claim with your insurance company or in a personal injury lawsuit. However, what can a dash camera video recording really show?

Your dash cam can record several pieces of information at once, including:

• What the drivers around you are doing
• What you’re doing while driving
• Your rate of speed and location with GPS tracking
• If drivers around you appear to work together to force you into an accident
• Independent witnesses that may have left the scene

Your dash cam can also help you report damage to your parked vehicle when you aren’t around. This can range from a grocery cart hitting and denting your vehicle to thieves or vandals breaking in to steal items inside.

Are Dash Cam Videos Permissible in Court?

Dash cam footage is permissible in Florida courts under a few conditions. The judge must authenticate the video as the raw, unedited video file before allowing the jury to view it. Additionally, the footage must be relevant to the case, meaning that if the camera didn’t capture good footage of the accident, it will be inadmissible.

If the video is authentic, uncut, and contains relevant information, you can use it to support your case. However, the dash cam footage alone cannot be the deciding factor in the jury’s decision.

Contact a South Florida Dash Cam Lawyer

At Shannon J. Sagan, PA, we represent accident victims in Palm Beach County and across South Florida. Call us today at 561-DASHCAM (352-5299) or contact us online to schedule a consultation with The Dash Cam Lawyer.