I’ve grown to love dash cams, mainly because they’ve got the potential to help a driver out when assistance is needed most. Better still, basic models are so affordable it seems like a no-brainer to get one. Want more features? Then head for the best dash cam you can afford. However, I’ve been helped out by the likes of the reasonably pocket-friendly Thinkware X1000 and, most recently, the Nextbase Piqo Dash Cam, which is a snip to buy.
There are lots of reasons for owning a dashcam, but I think the main one is that it helps to provide piece of mind. Where I live, driving standards are falling, roads are becoming more congested and, frequently, the roads themselves are in such a bad state of repair that I tend to drive with an ‘anything could happen’ mindset. It’s a stressful, pothole-riddled minefield out there, so owning a dashcam for a relatively small outlay makes perfect sense to me.
Added to that, there are growing stories hitting the news about how scammers are causing accidents in a cynical bid to make some quick cash. I didn’t have to look far to see evidence of this and most social media feeds seem to throw up examples of what’s going on very regularly. Owning a dash cam can really help with this because, if the worst does happen, you’ll have hopefully irrefutable evidence of what really occurred.
So, I’m sold on owning a dash cam and, just maybe, these five reasons outlining why might convince you to get one too.
1. Dash cams can help with insurance claims
I’ve had first-hand experience of just how invaluable a dash cam can be after our car was rear-ended and written off by some who ran into the back of it at around 40mph. I only had a front-facing dash cam model fitted to the windshield at the time, but the impact was such that it captured the car being pushed across two lanes.
Submitting the footage, along with our insurance claim, helped us out big time and convinced me that owning one wasn’t just desirable; it was essential. Of course, it’s possible to beef up your evidence-gathering capabilities by purchasing a dashcam bundle, with both front and rear-facing dashcams contained inside box.
2. Dash cams can help fend off fines
I had an instance very recently where I was driving on a major highway late at night, where there were road works, lane closures and variable speed limits. Curiously, as I approached an overhead gantry following a single line of traffic, all of which was well under the speed limit due to the congestion, I could see the overhead speed cameras flashing.
I’m pretty sure this must have been some kind of technical issue with the speed cameras, but you can bet that I downloaded and have kept the footage after arriving home. The dash cam shows exactly what is happening and vital data such as date, time and my speed are all date stamped on the footage. I’ll keep it; just in case.
3. Dash cams can tackle car insurance scams
As I mentioned above, insurance scams are on the up and therefore, being able to provide video evidence of any incident is a definite bonus. Rather than relying on a ‘your word over theirs’ written submission to insurers, or even the police if needed, being able to supply video and audio in the event of a claim or legal case can prove invaluable.
An additional upside to having video evidence, even if the matter is so obviously fake that it is hardly worth taking seriously, is the fact that examples can be shared online. This can be a handy way of educating others about the scam activity that is going on, even if some of these attempts are so poorly executed, they’re hardly worth airing, just as long as no damage or injury has occurred.
4. Dash cams can capture evidence
There are several reasons why owning a dash cam has become essential, but the biggest one surrounds evidence. When incidents or accidents occur, things can often get lost in the heat of the moment. People could be in shock; they could be angry or confused. Worse, there could be injuries. With a dash cam fitted and up and running the whole time, a permanent record of proceedings captures audio and video at the time when it is needed most.
The other bonus with most dashcams is that they can also automatically capture selected events. This can range from minor bumps and irregular driving scenarios including going over speed bumps or potholes, through to actual contact with other vehicles. Better still, these incidents are often captured and stored both locally on the microSD card and, increasingly, in remote cloud storage, which means they’re going to be safe and secure without you even having to think about it.
5. Dash cams can monitor when you cannot
I’m obviously not always in my car, which is where a quality dash cam can help out. Many of the latest model dash cams come with the option of parking surveillance, which can help to monitor your vehicle if you’ve parked and left it locked up for the night in, say, a parking lot or hotel somewhere. A dash cam can be hardwired into your car and configured so that it will capture any activity that might occur around it. This means it’ll video a door or bumper ding, or even any unwanted criminal activity such as someone trying to force a door or, worse, steal the vehicle altogether.
Advanced parking and monitoring features usually need the dash cam to be hardwired into the vehicle, so that the camera can have a source of power at all times. Doing this means the installation is a little more permanent, so it’s not going to suit everyone who may need to move their dash cam from vehicle to vehicle. It is a great feature option to think about though.
Why you should avoid a dash cam
While I’m a keen advocate of buying a dash cam, it doesn’t necessarily mean that owning one will keep you covered for any eventuality. For example, remember that driving conditions are always changing and natural occurrences like fog, unexpected storms and other unpredictable weather events can make life difficult even for the best dash cam models you can buy. Even something silly like a dirty or misted screen can take the edge off recordings.
I like to think of my own dash cam as being a supplement to my driving. It’s great knowing the unit is there and capturing events as they occur, but technical issues can happen too. Occasionally, the microSD card in a dash cam can become faulty. Sometimes they might need reformatting to restore their capabilities. If failures are occurring on a regular basis, the microSD card might need replacing altogether.
Checking this regularly is a very good idea as there’s nothing worse than needing to fall back on footage as evidence, only to find that the card has corrupted and not captured a vital event. It might not be enough to put you off buying one, but it’s worth noting all the same.
Given their affordability, I think its even worth having another dash cam as a back-up – just in case, but maybe that’s just me and my mindset following my own experiences on the road. There are always deals to be had, as witnessed by our Black Friday dash cam deals roundup while I’ve included links to some of the best dash cams below. Dash cams have helped me out big time and, hopefully, they’ll do the same for you. Just remember though; they, like us, can be fallible too.
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