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Are Dash Cams Worth It If I Get in a Car Accident?

Car video camera attached to the windshield to record driving and prevent danger from driving
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If you get into an accident that another driver caused, a dash cam could be the difference between you unjustly taking the blame and holding an at-fault driver liable. You might wonder are dash cams worth it when considering ways to improve road-going safety.

Accidents could happen in many ways, and the dash cam is a terrific way to record the before, during, and after. That can help to prove who caused an accident and greatly affect your costs following an accident.

There are many great ways in which one or more reasonably affordable dash cams could prove to be worth much more than the price that you paid for them. The many potential benefits that help you show how are dash cams worth it include:

  • Showing general traffic and road conditions.
  • Proving you drove reasonably and did not violate traffic laws.
  • Identifying other drivers and their vehicles.
  • Showing how another motorist caused an accident.

A dash cam is like an impartial witness who only can tell the truth. It is not a safety device that prevents accidents or minimizes potential injuries if you are in a car accident. Instead, it is a tool that records events and enables you to download the video to show what happened.

Some dash cams also have safety features that could alert you to nearby traffic, warn you if you are drifting out of your lane, or stop you from cutting of another driver. That could help to prevent an accident.

Dash Camera or car video recorder in vehicle on the way

How a Dash Cam Works

A dash cam usually mounts to a window with a suction cup and uses either a USB port or a cigarette lighter adapter to power it. The dash cam faces forward and records everything that comes into view of its lens.

A single dash cam will not give you a 360-degree view around your vehicle. You can mount a dash cam in the rear window and one on either side to obtain full 360-degree video-recording capability around your entire vehicle. The dash cam can protect you against liability and help you to beat a traffic ticket. You can download the video and use it for evidence to support an accident claim or fight a ticket.

The following gives you a closer look at them and helps to answer are dash cams worth it. There is a good chance that you will agree that they are worth a nominal purchase price.

Dash Cams Could Provide Evidence to Support an Auto Insurance Claim

If you are in an accident with another vehicle or an object, you will need to file an insurance claim. Unless you are accepting blame, you might find yourself needing to prove that you were a victim of another driver’s negligence or maybe a road hazard created by another party.

The dash cam can help you to support your insurance claim with video evidence of an accident. An offending driver might lie about the accident and its cause while blaming you. Your dash cam could help to reveal the truth and ensure the other driver is held liable for the accident.

There are a lot of ways in which a dash cam can help you to file and prove your insurance claims after an accident. It can show the weather, amount of traffic, weather, or other factors that might contribute to causing an accident. When you are armed with solid evidence, negotiating an insurance settlement becomes much easier.

Dash Cams Could Show Traffic Lights and Controls

One of the best answers to are dash cams worth it is their potential for helping you to beat a bad traffic ticket. For example, you might have a traffic light switch to yellow as you are entering an intersection. A police officer might pull you over and ticket you for running a red light.

Instead of arguing with the police officer, you can fight the ticket and beat it with the evidence provided by your dash cam. The dash cam could show that you stopped at a stop sign, stayed in your traffic lane, or were driving in a normal and lawful manner despite being ticketed for a phantom traffic offense that you did not commit.

Young woman making phone call after accident

Dash Cams Could Help to Identify Hit-and-Run Drivers

Another good answer to are dash cams worth it is their ability to identify other drivers and their vehicles. A hit-and-run driver might strike your vehicle and flee. Normally, that means you must have uninsured motorist coverage or pay all of the costs out of your pocket. Your dash cam might change that.

If you have one or more dash cams, you have a good chance of getting a video recording of the offending vehicle and driver. If you are really lucky, your dash cam will get a clear recording of the license plate number. That would make it a lot easier to locate the vehicle’s owner and whoever did the driving.

The dash cam’s ability to record what drivers look like also could help you to make sure the right person is being held liable. Sometimes after an accident, the occupants of an offending vehicle will lie about who was driving. That might be to save someone from a drunk driving charge or for some other reason.

The dash cam could prove who was driving as well as how the accident happened. That could make it possible for you to obtain insurance coverage for the accident and any injuries that you might have suffered – even in a hit-and-run accident.

Dash Cams Could Help to Make Teens Better Drivers

Your dash cam also could help to save you a bundle by enabling you to monitor a teen driver’s behavior while behind the wheel. You might have one or more teens who are of driving age and want to get driving experience. A dash cam can help you to ensure your teen is driving safely and not taking risks or showing off while driving.

You can review the footage of your teen’s driving and identify any weaknesses or dangerous driving behaviors. That will help you to teach your teen how to become a better driver and enable your teen to learn from the experience.

You also could pair the dash cam with a teen driving program that retards the vehicle’s speed and makes it harder for your teen to do burnouts and greatly exceed the speed limit.

Auto accidents are the leading cause of death among teens, and anything that you do to help prevent your teen from driving unlawfully will help your teen grow into an experienced and safe driver. It also could help you to save money on potentially higher insurance costs.

an insurance agent sits down with two people to explain how does insurance work

Dash Cams Could Help to Keep Insurance Costs Low

Insurance claims adjusters love it when there are witnesses to accidents who can clear up any confusion or conflicting stories among drivers. The dash cam is the best kind of witness that can show exactly what happened without any incentive to lie. The dash cam never lies while making it possible to very clearly determine the cause and effect of auto accidents.

A witness who very clearly recalls the events leading up to an accident and explains it in good detail is a very strong asset to have. A dash cam is such a witness with no vested interest in the outcome. The dash cam will show the truth and help to establish the facts of the matter.

An accurate and impartial witness can help you to stop your insurance costs from rising due to a disputed accident claim. That witness also could help you to beat a traffic ticket that falsely accuses you of running a red light or not stopping at a stop sign.

When you can beat traffic tickets and hold other parties liable for causing any accidents that you might experience, you can keep your insurance costs as low as possible. Potentially lower insurance costs help to answer the question of are dash cams worth it.

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