Used Cars & Dash Cams...Reviewing the Facts
Dash Cams are gaining new respect and popularity, but are they just a fad or are they a tool that is here to stay?
As technology continues to evolve and Dash Cams keep getting better it seems like they're going to be around for a long time to come, and that could be a good thing especially if you're involved in an accident or some other kind of legal dispute where the incident is captured on video with a Dash Cam.
Dash Cams sell for anywhere from $60 to $200. They can be powered with the 12-volt electrical system in your vehicle. They are programmed to turn on when you start your car and will record everything you see through your windshield as you drive. The video documentation is recorded directly to a memory card, and the footage is usually recorded in a loop within a system that allows you to save portions of the video that you don't want to lose.
There are many benefits that come with owning a Dash Cam. Insurance industry experts say they can be used as protection when evidence is needed following an accident, and they can provide cost effective peace of mind. If you are involved in an accident, and a review of what happened is available on video it could help you as make your way through the legal process and the insurance claims process. You can even leave a Dash Cam running when you park your vehicle and are not around, and the camera is then used as a surveillance tool, protecting your car when you inside a mall shopping.
Buying even a used car, used truck, or used SUV, represents a susbtantial investment. In fact cars, trucks, SUV's, Mini Vans, are a huge part of our life, and for most people a new or used vehicle purchase or lease represents the second largest expenditure of their life behind a new home purchase. That makes installing a Dash Cam in your new, or used-vehicle a smart move in most cases. It's a way of protecting your investment, and your financial future. It makes even more sense when you consider the money invested in financing a new or used car, truck, suv, mini van or other vehicle. For many people, a new Dash Cam is becoming the first thing they choose to do to modify or upgrade their new, or used vehicle purchase.
Driving instructors are also increasingly advising parents to use Dash Cams as a training or teaching tool when their teens are first learning to drive. The video can be reviewed following teaching drives, and parents or drivers-ed teachers can discuss what happened on the road to make new drivers, better drivers.
Of course there are some legal considerations to keep in mind when buying and using a Dash Cam. For instance, under no circumstances should a Dash Cam be placed on windshield in a position where it could distract you while driving or obstruct your view. There are laws governing the use of video cameras in cars, and that should be top of mind when installing and using a Dash Cam. However, most dash cams have features that turn off the screen within a short time of being activated so that the screen does not distract a driver while the Dash Cam is in operation and the vehicle is in motion. The time for the video screen to go black after activation can be adjusted in the menu settings on most Dash Cams.
Some people also worry about invasion of privacy, but advocates of Dash Cam use point out that your personal Dash Cam is not being tracked any government entity and any footage you record can be erased at any time. That being said it should be noted that in Canada any video footage that is recorded on you Dash Cam could potentially be seized if it was deemed to be evidence in any kind of legal proceeding and if the court demands that you turn over you video footage you will normally have little choice in the matter.
To avoid being distracted by a Dash Cam while driving insurance industry experts say it is advisable to mount them behind a rear view mirror or in an upper central location where they will not obstruct a driver's line of sight.
The number one reason most people purchase and use a Dash Cam is to protect themselves legally, and to get a better settlement from an insurance company in the event of an accident.
There are a lot of other great reasons to purchase and use a Dash Cam though. Dash Cams are ideal for recording memories on long road trips. Some times they devices capture incredible footage and memories that would otherwise be lost. Dash Cams record constantly and as a result a quick scan on youtube, will reveal a huge range of incredible video shot with Dash Cams, that include everything from Meteor Showers, and Plane Crashes, to candid wildlife moments.
So embrace the current technology and hold on tight because the future is just around the corner, and keep on recording, because Dash Cams are a great way to protect yourself legally, and at the same time record some memories that simply could never be captured using a conventional camera.
What about you? Do you use a Dash Cam? Are you considering the purchase of one to use in your new or used vehicle? Leave your comments on our facebook page or message us to share your views.
