Have you ever been subjected to a road rage incident or involved in an accident that was not your fault? If your response to either of these questions is no, potentially you could be in the future. Therefore, investing in some modern technology in the form of a camera in your car could accurately record any incidents you may experience and give you peace of mind.
There are other rationales that make fitting a camera in your car beneficial, for instance it may significantly reduce the amount of car insurance you usually have to pay and it can provide irrefutable, independent accident evidence without having to rely on passers by to support your version of what occurred during the incident. The Police actively encourage the installation of cameras in cars, as the footage can often be used by them successfully in vehicle related prosecutions. ‘Crash for Cash’ incidents that are on the increase, can also be exposed using cameras.
There is a wide range of camera variations available, so it can be quite hard to determine which camera will best suit your needs. One consideration is the cost, sourcing a camera that meets your demands and is financially achievable for you is important. Camera prices can vary dramatically, with some being relatively inexpensive, while others can be very pricey.
Like camera costs, picture quality can vary, some capture anything that’s going on easily, where others do not have such a crisp picture quality. As a rule, cameras with better picture quality are more expensive than those with grainier images.
Price and picture quality are not the only considerations when thinking about which ideal camera you may want to purchase. Monitor size is another issue, with some having a preference for a larger screen, whilst others prefer a smaller one. Cameras can be obtained using either colour or black and white film. Again, this is a personal preference choice, as in the submission of camera footage in the event of an accident it does not matter for prosecution purposes whether the image is in colour not. Other optional features are to have cable links to other camera systems in your car or to have night vision of a military quality.
Installing your camera should be unproblematic and should be relatively easy. There are multiple ways of mounting your camera, one option is to place it on the dashboard, another is to append it to the windscreen via suction caps or, using velcro straps the camera can be suspended from the rear view mirror. Care should be taken to ensure the camera does not, in any way, obscure the driver’s view of the road and that its placement gives a panoramic view of the road ahead.
Should you have an accident, protocol is to remove the memory card as soon as possible to avoid the chance of the footage being accidentally erased or recorded over. The purchase of a second, backup memory card is also advised, so that any journey made immediately after an accident is recorded.
There are no legal issues with using a camera, however, if you choose to have the sound recording option on, it is suggested, as a matter of courtesy, to inform any passengers of its presence and that it will pick up and record any conversations made in the car.