The purpose of a dash cam (dashboard camera) is to record video and sound while you are driving your vehicle and in some cases while it is parked.  It is mounted on the dashboard/windshield of your vehicle and in the rear window if you have a dual camera unit. All of them will record on a loop, recording over the oldest footage when the storage card is full, so you don’t have to worry about running out of memory space. These simple cameras that can be installed in your vehicle in a few minutes have become increasingly popular over the past few years. They are an important safety device that can provide video evidence in the event of an incident.

Dash cameras are motion sensitive so if you are driving and there is an impact or you are parked, and something bumps or shakes your vehicle, the camera will capture several seconds of video before and after impact. This video footage can be invaluable when trying to prove fault in an accident. I have successfully used video footage twice to prove my lack of fault in two accidents where the other, at fault, driver claimed I was at fault. If your parked vehicle is damaged or vandalized the camera may show who the culprit was.  Road rage incidents, unfortunately, are becoming more frequent and dash cam video can prove to be invaluable.

Another great usage of a dash cam is to help prevent vehicle insurance fraud. Simply put, some drivers purposely cause car accidents just to put the blame on an innocent driver in order to extort money from them or their insurance company. By installing a dash cam in your vehicle and recording all events, you have evidence to prevent scammers from succeeding.

A dashboard camera is also a great device that will help you turn your road trip into a great memory. I’ve had a dash cam in the windshield of my motorhome for years and have recorded some beautiful video footage of our travels. Many dash cams have built in Wi-Fi so you can easily connect your smartphone to the camera and download video from its memory card.

You have a wide array of dash cameras to choose from with low-end units costing sixty dollars or less and high-end, state of the art cameras that come with color display, time and date stamp, front and rear cameras, Wi-Fi and GPS. With so many choices available be sure to research your purchase and buy a camera that fits your budget and needs.  Also be sure it records clear video in both day and night conditions. 

Dashboard cameras are a great investment that provide you with peace of mind while driving.