It is important for drivers to feel safe and comfortable no matter how far they are travelling. Driving is still risky despite all the great things it offers, such as freedom and convenience. For this reason, drivers should protect themselves in case anything goes wrong.
One form of protection that drivers may choose is a dash cam. This is an outward-facing camera which is typically installed in the front windshield of a vehicle. Dash cams are very popular nowadays, and having a camera installed in your vehicle offers protection in several ways.
Do I need a dash cam?
There are several benefits to owning a dash cam. The main ones are outlined below:
Deterring false insurance claims
Unfortunately, false insurance claims are made all too regularly and can come from anyone in any part of the country. It is known that criminals have been increasingly using this method to steal money from people through their insurance.
However, to award an insurance claim the insurer will consider the evidence of the incident in question. If you have dash cam footage, then what you have is concrete, direct evidence backing your side of the story.
Peace of mind
Hopefully, all your journeys will be safe and smooth. But knowing that you are prepared with strong evidence just in case something does unexpectedly go wrong can give you and your loved ones peace of mind.
This can be especially reassuring for new drivers.
Deterring theft and vandalism
Since they need to face out the front and read windows, dash cams are visible to people looking into your vehicle. However, anyone looking in will not necessarily be able to tell whether the dash cam is on or off.
This ambiguity is often enough to make would-be thieves change their minds and pick an easier target. There are also dash cams that continue recording after you have switched off the engine, or AI dash cam which can detect when an incident is taking place and automatically upload footage to the cloud.
Record your journeys
Dash cams are not all about defending you if things go wrong and settling disputes over car insurance. They are also a great way to capture footage of any amazing places you drive to.
Types of dashcam
Now that you know the main benefits of having a dash cam, the next thing is to find a type that suits your needs.
Dash cams come in many shapes and sizes, but they can broadly be classified into the following types:
Single-lens dash cams
This is the most basic and popular type of dash cam. Like a phone or camcorder, they record from a single camera lens. Drivers using a single-lens camera usually install it facing out of the front windshield.
Dual-lens dash cams
Some drivers prefer a setup where two dash cams record simultaneously, one facing out of the front windshield and the other out of the rear.
Professional dash cams
These are designed for commercial users, such as fleet vehicles and taxis. They are generally more expensive but are considered to be more reliable, and they usually upload footage to a cloud server or send it to a central location rather than store it in a removable memory card like most dash cams.
Tips for choosing the best dash cam
All dash cams share the same basic function, which is recording live video in a continuous loop. This means that once storage is full, old footage must be deleted either manually or automatically.
So one important consideration is the amount of memory, and this is itself affected by the quality of the footage. There are also numerous optional features that you might want to think about.
Additional features, of course, cost more. So a good place to start is deciding on your budget. Once you have that in place, use these tips to help find a top quality dash cam:
Image-stabilising 4K recording
Stable, high-definition recording will help if you ever need to zoom in on a clip or read things like licence plate numbers.
Strong mount
Any dash cam will come with a mount so that you can attach it to your windshield. However, there are sometimes issues like adhesive materials not working well or the mount obstructing too much of the view in your vehicle, so be sure to take these into account.
Extras
Look for extras that compliment the dash cam’s core function of recording useful footage. Some cameras can now use AI to remove fog and reduce glare which could otherwise obstruct your video.
There are also optional extras that might interest you. Common features include driver assistance alerts, voice command, and cloud backup.
Although we can make sure that we are driving safely, we cannot control what others do on the road. Dash cams are a good way to be prepared for the unexpected, which is why more and more drivers are using them. With this handy guide, you should be able to find the right dash cam for your vehicle.
