What is a Dash Cam?
Dash Cams is a recording device that provides clear, visual evidence in the case of insurance disputes or false accusations after an unfortunate incident. A quality Dash Cam is good investment in both safety and piece of mind . A Dash Cam is a surveillance-oriented video recorder that is mounted on a vehicle windscreen facing out to the road. It records the events going on around your car onto a Micro SD Card and stores video evidence should incidents occur involving you. Dash Cams automatically power up and record when you turn your engine on and automatically turn off and stop recording when you turn your engine off. Dash Cams are powered through an accessory socket (cigarette lighter socket) via a power cord. Premium Dash Cams can even continue recording while you are parked and away from your vehicle to catch vandals, hit and run offenders and can monitor your garage/property. This parked recording feature is enabled by hardwiring your Dash Cam to your car battery.
A Dash Cam provides irrefutable video evidence that can protect you against false accusations after an incident, road rage, drunk drivers and insurance fraud (just to mention a few). The video footage can also be used as evidence to assist removing hoon drivers in your community off the roads, thus protecting everyone. After severe car accidents on our roads, we are increasingly hearing Police Crash Investigators on radio or TV call on the public for Dash Cam footage. This video evidence is a vital tool to assist them in the investigation and piece together what happened on the road. This goes to show how beneficial and important Dash Cam footage can be.
To get an understanding of the kind of evidence a Dash Cam can provide and capture, check out the videos on our REVIEW/VIDEOS page or click here to watch some other driving shockers.
Today, Dash Cams are used by the majority of drivers in America, Europe, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and is rapidly growing in popularity in Australia. Dash Cams Australia is the leader in the supply of the most reliable Dash Cams in Australia.
Benefits of Installing a Dash Cam
1. Provides irrefutable video evidence in the event of a road incident – false accusations can be disputed
2. Can save money on paying insurance excess if an incident wasn’t your fault + maintain your no claim history
3. Provides protection and evidence from hit and run incidents, car theft and malicious damage
4. Some models provide GPS location tracking and vehicle speed
5. Reduce the time to settle a claim by an insurance company or court
6. Change driving behaviour and protect our roads – hoon/dangerous drivers are becoming increasingly aware that their behaviour could be recorded
7. Employers can monitor and ensure employees are following company rules when driving fleet vehicles
8. Easy to install and easy to use
Top 5 Car Crash types in Australia
1. Rear-ended: the most common crash
2. Side-on (“T-bone”)
3. Head-on
4. Running off the road on a straight stretch
5. Running off the road on a bend
Legal Considerations
Dash Cam footage has been used successfully in traffic cases overseas to prove what actually occurred in an incident; for example, to show that the other driver ran a red light. In a case where it would be your word against the other driver’s, a video recording can play an important role in protecting you from false accusations (that is if you are not at fault). Police vehicles are commonly equipped with Dash Cams for their numerous benefits and use. Dash Cams have prevented some Australian drivers from paying fines, or assisted with their insurance claims, but we aren’t aware of any Australian court cases where Dash Cam footage has been used in evidence.
Using a Dash Cam is legal, provided it is not manually operated while driving and is mounted securely. As with any sat nav or other dashboard/windshield mounted device, a Dash Cam should be in a fixed mount and must not obscure your view of the road ahead, behind or to either side of the vehicle. Recording video while driving on public roads is OK as privacy concerns don’t generally apply in public spaces, but think carefully about how you use the videos. There should be no problem showing Dash Cam videos to the police or insurers, but it might not always be OK to post them online.
Insurance Premiums
There is huge potential for insurance companies to cooperate with the Australian public and deduct insurance premiums for Dash Cam use, as Dash Cams help to identify the at-fault party. If an incident occurs, having a Dash Cams installed can ensure that every detail, like speed of your vehicle, the angle of the crash, and surrounding driving conditions will be available. With this information, insurance companies can investigate the cause and fault of the incident more efficiently and timely. This could lower the cost of premiums and reduce the time it takes to settle claims. Providing video evidence of an incident that was not your fault can assist in avoiding paying your excess and protect your no claim history.
Protect Yourself
Dash Cams help safe drivers protect themselves from false accusations in road incidents. We understand that no matter how careful you drive, if other drivers are not paying attention, you can easily end up in an accident. You may be unfairly put at fault by an insurance company depending on the situation. With the Dash Cams we supply, safe drivers can record the entire incident scene and ensure the correct party takes the responsibility.
Stop Vandalism/Hit & Runs and Monitor Your Vehicle While it’s Parked
Most of our Dash Cams can protect our customer’s cars from being vandalised while parked. With the use of a hardwire kit to provide constant power, the Dash Cam can be triggered by motion or impact and record what is happening around your parked car. We all know what shopping centre/supermarket car parks are like. In the majority of cases, the negligent driver will leave the scene without leaving any details. The recorded footage can assist to prove to your insurance company that you did not cause the damage yourself, or in the case of deliberate damage the footage can be shown to Police. For further information on Parking Mode Dash Cams click here.
Do I need a Dash Cam? And is it worth paying $200+ for a Dash Cam?
Dash Cams will provide irrefutable video evidence in the event of an incident and protect you from false accusations. You may not be able to find a witness after an incident. The video evidence can clearly identify who was at fault and what exactly happened.
Cheap Dash Cams can have missing video files when you go to review the footage (or not even record at all when you needed it to).
Cheap Dash Cams might not function or record during our hot Australian Summers or during colder weather. Cheap Dash Cams are prone to freezing up, restarting and malfunctioning in hot/cold conditions.
Cheaper Dash Cam manufacturers and sellers might not provide timely or honest warranty services. You could also be buying a fake, re-branded or refurbished Dash Cam.
Buying a higher-end, quality Dash Cam from a trusted supplier provides reliability, performance and the confidence that it will record under all driving conditions.
Please feel free to contact us for any Dash Cam advice or recommendations. There are no silly questions. We understand there are many Dash Cams on the market (some good, some bad) and buying the right one can be confusing. Please click here to have a read of our expert Dash Cam Buyers Guide and other Information & Advice articles for our latest recommendations, tips and advice.