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Dash Cams and Car Accidents

Dash Cams Getting More Popular

Dash cam footage has taken the internet by storm especially in places like Jackson, Mississippi, with drivers uploading footage for all to see. Most cam owners and operators do not capture driving footage with viral fame in mind, though. They do it to have evidence in case of an accident because the footage might establish the driver is not at fault in cases where the crash is caused by the other party.

Can a Dash Cam Lower Insurance Costs?

Insurance companies in Mississippi and throughout the United States do not offer discounts for dash camera installation the way they usually do for safety features like alarms and air bags. That is because the camera itself does not lower the likelihood of a crash. Cameras can help prove liability, which may reduce the number of claim payouts your insurance provider makes, so it can have a small indirect effect on your costs, but it is hard to say for sure.

Dash Cam

Using a Dash Cam Defensively

If your main goal in using a dash cam is to provide footage to a personal injury lawyer in the event of a crash, then you need to make sure the camera is positioned to capture a wide field of view that gets all the details. Properly mounting the cam for visibility increases the likelihood the footage will be clear enough that an attorney views it as good evidence for the case when gathering evidence from other sources like eyewitnesses.

Dash Cam Use and Privacy Laws

In many cases, dash cam footage does not run afoul of privacy considerations because it is intended to record actions that happen in public, but there are places where dash cam recordings are legally limited due to privacy concerns. The exact circumstances under which cam footage can be used are governed by local and state laws with respect to this, so they do vary from one place to another. Your Jackson, Mississippi attorney will review the recorded video to determine if it is lawful to use as evidence.

Law Book

Should You Invest in a Dash Cam?

Since cameras have become inexpensive and easy to integrate with mobile devices through control apps, many people are seeing them as worthwhile investments in risk management. Only you can tell whether the cost is worth it in your situation, so consider all the risks and benefits, then look up your state's rules about dash cam recordings.