Dashcams are increasingly being used by drivers who want peace of mind on the roads. In fact, this type of technology is an essential part of modern protection and has become ubiquitous in vehicles across the UK. Given dashcams have the capability of capturing accurate footage, they’re being used to provide objective recordings which can complement (or contradict) eyewitness accounts.
What is a dashcam?
Fitted to the dashboard or a key vantage point in your car, dashcams are digital devices that record your travel on the road. Not only do they allow you to capture key memories as you drive, but they can also function as a deterrent for those who want to steal something from your vehicle as they will keep thieves accountable. Dashcams can also provide video evidence to support a claim by capturing key information about an incident.
Legal on UK roads, they must be installed in a way that does not hinder or obstruct your ability to see the road ahead or act as a distraction while driving. The footage from these devices is not only incredibly useful, it’s admissible in court. That permits you to supply video evidence to demonstrate your innocence or prove another driver was at fault in the event of an accident.
How can a dashcam help in court?
A dashcam is a way to capture detailed evidence that would otherwise go unrecorded by public surveillance. Dashcam footage can provide clarification in disputes where conflicting accounts of events exist. Unlike human beings, who could skew the truth, these devices will present an objective account of what has occurred. This can help to resolve disputes quickly without objections. They can even supply information about incidents that you weren’t involved in, helping provide details of number plates or behavior of bystanders to relevant authorities in the event of a serious incident.
Many collisions or traffic accidents can prove to be a ‘he said, she said’ debate that can be difficult to unpack. Being able to supply timely video evidence can seriously cut down the bias in your case as well as the time spent reaching a fair verdict. With many insurers offering discounts for drivers that choose to voluntarily install a dashcam in their car, there are several benefits to having one in your vehicle.
Things to consider with dashcams
While a dashcam is incredibly useful, it is worth taking some time to review your position before picking one up. Remember that:
It can be used both ways
While dashcams are primarily used to protect the owner, it’s worth remembering the footage you capture can easily be used against you. If the material you provide shows you to be at fault, this will swiftly lead to a judgment against you. And if your device can capture information about speed, it can be quickly referred to reinforce a verdict about a ticket. Furthermore, if your device incurs damage, deleting or tampering with footage is considered a serious offense and will be dealt with accordingly.
The law can change
If you’re traveling abroad with a device in your car, it’s worth remembering to check with local authorities that recording your travel is not in violation of the law. This can result in fines, penalties, and, worse, the rapid derailing of a foreign trip. If you’re not solely using the footage for personal use, you’re required to inform others that use your vehicle and – as many devices are used to record activity inside the cab as well – any individuals entering your vehicle must be informed about the device’s presence.
Find the right device
While many dashcams are simple to set up and maintain, it’s always worth taking the time to find a device that fits your needs. At a minimum, this should allow you to view the number plate of vehicles involved in an incident and be able to discern facial features if involved with a criminal act.
Legal admissibility
Courts across the UK are increasingly accepting dashcam footage as evidence, recognizing its unique perspective and ability to provide an accurate account of incidents. However, to be considered by UK courts, the footage must be relevant to the case, authentic, unedited, time-stamped, and submitted properly, typically through appropriate legal representation.
How reliable is a dashcam in court?
In a court setting, dashcam footage is often regarded as reliable in court in the event that it adheres to certain criteria. This is because dashcam recordings offer an objective record, which can be more reliable than eyewitness testimony because it captures accurate footage of events as they occur without bias. This means judges can get a clear indication of what has happened, allowing them to make an informed judgment. Providing the footage is relevant, real, unedited, timestamped, and submitted through legal presentation, this footage can be used against someone else or against yourself. It allows those in court to pick up on minute details that would otherwise be overlooked, such as vehicle number plates.
Contact Wafer Phillips
Dashcams can be a great tool in court or in other circumstances where you need hard evidence to prove something. At Wafer Phillips, we can help you to learn more about dashcams, as well as providing you with information on protecting yourself from personal liability. When it comes to using dashcam evidence in legal cases, we can guide you on how to use footage to reveal exactly what happened during the incident as well as how to properly submit yours as evidence.
Why not get a clearer picture of our full range of services from our home page? If you have any other questions about your case, don’t hesitate to get in touch directly and let us know exactly what you need to resolve your issues and enjoy the peace of mind you’re looking for.
