Dash cams explained: Should you have one?

What is a dash cam?

Dash cams are typically small, high-resolution cameras that plug into your car’s accessory port for power. Some have an internal battery, while others have capacitors and turn on and off with the car. Battery models allow for recording while the car is parked and turned off, while capacitors can work better for drivers in hot or cold climates and may have a longer service life. Many record audio as well as video, and advanced models can display the speed and location of the car alongside the footage.

Most often, the cameras mount to the dashboard or windshield of the car, facing toward the street. They operate as a silent witness, recording what’s occurring as you drive. Most cameras have a screen to help adjust the view of the road, and to communicate information like battery charge. Typically, the recorded video is saved to a memory card on a rolling basis; when the memory reaches capacity, old video is replaced with new video. Some models retain footage if they detect hard acceleration or deceleration (such as during a crash) or if the driver hits a “save” button. 

What are the advantages of a dash cam?

When a car crash happens and there are no cameras or other witnesses, it’s often one driver’s word against the other's. It’s common for drivers to not remember all the details or the timing of events during a crash (especially if one of the drivers was distracted) and without a recording, you could be found at fault even if you weren't. Depending on the accident and where you live, being at fault could mean serious fines, expensive increases in auto insurance costs, demerit points on your driver’s license, and even lawsuits.

When might having a dash cam help you?

• You’re in a crash and you’re not at fault: If, for any reason, you worry about being wrongly found at fault in a car crash, having a dash cam will likely help by providing proof of what you did or did not do in most types of crashes.
• You’re a victim of insurance fraud: Insurance fraud occurs when a person makes a claim against another party's insurance policy for damages not made by the insured. A common form of this is the staged collision, in which the scammer purposefully causes a crash with the victim and then says the victim is at fault, seeking a big payout from the ensuing insurance claims.
  
  It can be difficult to defend yourself against a fraud claim if it’s your word against that of multiple scammers, but having video of the scam in progress can help expose it.

• You get a traffic ticket in error: Though laws in each state differ on how video like this can be used in court, for certain kinds of violations, dash cams make it easier for police officers to verify what occurred. If you're pulled over for a violation you didn’t commit, your dash cam footage may help to show your innocence, either at the scene of the ticket or (if allowed) in court.
• You're a commercial driver and want to protect your livelihood: The use of a dash cam is a type of liability-reducing, blame-reducing tool for commercial drivers, who rely on their good driving record to make a living. An erroneous claim could put your career at risk, so a dash cam could be a valuable investment in protecting your commercial license.
• You want to review driving footage: Another way to use dash cams is as a tool to help you improve your driving. You can review the footage after long trips or difficult routes to determine how well you did. More commonly, you may want to use these cameras as a way to monitor how well (and safely) your teen driver is doing on the roadways when you're not in the car to monitor them. This is a great teaching aid for new drivers.
• You want to watch an unattended vehicle: Many dash cams can run on battery power to monitor your vehicle when it’s parked. This low-power setting typically turns on the camera if the device detects acceleration from an impact or vandalism, similar to a car alarm. If you need to park your car long-term, such as at an airport, or if it’s frequently parked in public, having a dash cam might help you find the responsible parties if someone strikes the car, vandalizes it, or even steals and abandons it.

What are the disadvantages of a dash cam? 

• Could be used against you: The biggest risk to dash cameras is their ability to tell the truth even when you might not want to. If you're at fault in a crash, your own dash cam's footage could prove it.
  
  In addition, footage and other device data may let others see where you’ve been, who you’ve been with, and what you’ve talked about. If the device is stolen or the footage is stored in the cloud and hacked, anyone might be able to see it.
• Expense: Though there are budget models, any dash cam will cost money, and advanced models can be expensive—$200 and above. For that reason, you want to be sure they’re the right fit for your needs.
• Distraction: If you're focused on setting up or adjusting the camera, that could mean you're not paying attention to the road.
• Theft: The camera itself could become a target for theft. As a valuable piece of tech, there is an increased risk someone could break into your car to steal it.