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Advantages of Using a Car Dash Cam – All You Need to Know
You must have heard of a dashboard camera or car dash cam if you own a car. It is a type of camera that fits over a car dashboard or the rearview mirror. If you are used to driving in chaotic streets with heavy traffic, an accessory like a dash cam can be helpful for you. Nowadays, it has become a pocket-friendly means of safe driving.
Are you considering getting a dash cam for your car? Read till the end of this article to learn about the advantages of a car dash cam before purchasing it.
What Is a Dash Cam?
Car dash cams have been in the picture for quite some time now. However, it is recently that people have started to understand its worth. Such a camera helps you record any unpleasant incident in chaotic streets, keeping a video as supporting evidence if you get involved with any road accident issues. You can fit this camera in your car dashboard.
The primary purpose of a dash cam is to act as a "silent witness" to events of road accidents. It is designed to accurately record every little detail on the street, even from a moving car. While the camera might seem expensive, there is no denying that these can be essential for you. It is a one-time investment, which helps you avoid future expenses because of unforeseen events such as hit-and-runs, vehicle accidents and more.
Therefore, if you are wondering about the expenses of purchasing a dash cam, you should consider learning more about the advantages of a car dash cam. It will help you decide for the future.
What Are the Advantages of a Dash Cam?
If you are a car owner, you will acknowledge the struggle of driving through heavy traffic and avoid road accidents. Having a dash cam is a form of additional security in this process. The following section will give you a detailed account of the various benefits of using a car dash cam.
1. Evidence Against Road Rage and Rash Driving
Roads these days are no longer safe from frequent car accidents. In most cases, when there are no witnesses to a mishap, people, unfortunately, tend to blame the bigger vehicle for the accident. One of the significant advantages of a car dash cam is its ability to handle the citizens' rage on the road as well as record rash driving by others. However, even bikes and smaller cars can cause accidents, being aggressive on the road. In such situations, a dash cam will come to your rescue. You can record activities depicting rash driving, showing off road rage, etc. and use the same as evidence.
2. Avoid Police Harassment
The law enforcement and police forces are responsible for handling any road-related situations. It can be time-consuming and complicated if you hardly had anything to do with the incident. With this comes another one of the advantages of having a car dash cam. If you have everything recorded here, you can show it as proof of your innocence. You can also save yourself from any possibilities of bribery from the police forces dealing with the issue.
3. Reduces Insurance Premiums
Another one of the essential advantages of a car’s dash cam includes its ability to reduce your insurance premiums. Car insurance providers often offer discounts if they find dash cams as additional security fitted in your vehicle. This means that purchasing this camera and using it will help you maintain your car insurance policy at a lower premium amount.
4. Capturing Certain Incidents
Finally, having a dash cam is like having a ready camera handy in your car. Some days while driving, we encounter certain unique things and situations, and you might want to capture them. However, the struggle is real when trying to get your phone out and turn the camera on while driving. Moreover, in the current era of social media, one wants to capture and upload the most unforgettable moments. Thus, having a dash cam will allow you to capture every moment effortlessly, even while driving.
What Are the Disadvantages of a Dash Cam?
1. Not Infallible
While having a dash cam can capture certain situations, it is not entirely infallible. For example, it can miss some minute details, such as small animals on the road or cyclists crossing it. Thus, its evidence might not give you full coverage. Moreover, when you present its footage and the entire thing is unclear, you might be held responsible as the driver. Hence, a dash cam cannot serve the purpose of a human witness.
2. Expensive
As established already, a car dash cam can be expensive. You will have to pay a heavy sum for purchasing a good quality dash cam. If you spend less and settle for a camera with poor quality, it will not capture any details of the road.
3. Distracts Drivers
Another disadvantage of a car dash cam is its potential to distract a driver. Such cameras are mainly positioned either on the windscreen or the dashboard. It means that the eyes of the driver mostly stay on the camera. These can cause a blind spot while driving, as these are hefty in size. In addition, concentrating on the road might be difficult with these in front of you unless you are an expert.
4. Theft
Dash cams are expensive, and their big size can be easily visible to anyone passing by your car. It encourages theft. Moreover, the 12V socket powering these cameras can also be dismounted easily. Thus, you need to keep these issues in mind before purchasing one.
5. Data Protection Issues
Finally, dash cams have the potential to invade someone's privacy without their consent. The camera will be capturing footage of anyone and everyone on the road. Moreover, devices with Wi-Fi can post the contents on social media platforms. In the end, this can seriously infringe upon someone's privacy and personal data.
Therefore, as you can see, there are numerous advantages of a car dash cam. Installing such a camera in your vehicle will save you from road accidents and other mishaps. It can also help you get premium discounts on your car insurance policies. However, it would help to consider every aspect of the risks and disadvantages of such cameras before installing these.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to use car dash cams in India?
There are no specific laws retraining dash cams in India, as long as you use them for your personal requirements. However, you will face legal interruptions if you use it to record restricted areas such as defence offices.
Will a dash cam drain my battery?
There are chances that a dash cam might drain your car battery, especially if you are running on pure battery power. It is mainly because the cameras automatically record ever since you turn your car on.