Why would I get a dash cam?
Read our article to explore whether a dash cam is worth it, covering costs, the advantages and the potential drawbacks.
Top 4 reasons to get a dash cam:
- Protect yourself from ‘crash for cash’ scammers
- Video evidence of collisions for insurance companies
- Record dangerous driving of other road users
- Help track down parking lot hit-and-run offenders
‘Crash for cash’ explained
‘Crash for cash’ is the term commonly given for incidents where people deliberately stage or cause a road traffic collision for the purpose of financial gain.
Below we have listed the 5 most common types of ‘crash for cash’ accidents:
- Traditional ‘slam on’ accidents
A vehicle in front intentionally slams on the brakes to catch out the driver behind - Flash for crash
When a driver flashes their lights to beckon another vehicle forward but then drives into them - Crash for ready cash
A third-party requests cash to fix their vehicle after they have induced a collision - Hide and crash
A vehicle ‘hides’ in the blind spot of another car before moving in front and braking hard - Hire and crash
Where a criminal hires a car and stages an accident with another vehicle, usually someone they know
It’s been suggested that these schemes cost the motor industry £340 million every year. Anyone on the road can be targeted, so having a record of your vehicles movements when driving has never been so important. In our opinion, this is the key reason a dash cam is worth it.
It has also estimated that annually there are 69,500 personal injury claims linked to suspected ‘crash for cash’ scams (costing the insurance industry £392 million a year)
https://www.insurancefraudbureau.org/media/cnwpy0va/crash-for-cash-in-numbers.pdf
Other features a dash cam provides
Depending on your budget, your dash cam may offer much more than just recording your journey. Devices such as the Road Angel Halo offer live GPS tracking, parking protection and G-force sensors.
Lets look at these features:
GPS Tracking – A useful tool in the event of a breakdown, the GPS signal can give the recovery company your exact co-ordinates. Furthermore should your vehicle make any unauthorised movements, you can see the route, location and driving style through a mobile application.
Parking Protection – Some dash cams have the ability to record when the vehicle is parked, this is the ultimate protection against any ‘hit and run’ incidents that your vehicle may be subject to. With the Road Angel Halo series, the G-force sensors set the device to record when any impact is detected. Furthermore this is a highly effective deterrent to car thieves which is a real issue in the modern day, particularly on Land Rovers.
What to look for when purchasing a dash cam
- Recording quality – we recommend 1080p or higher quality, also consider a device with ‘night mode’ as accidents more often happen at night with reduced visibility.
- Wi-Fi connectivity – helps the ability to access footage via a cloud server, reducing the need to physically remove the memory card and download footage.
- GPS tracking – viewing your driving routes, driving data and vehicle location.
- Mobile connectivity – a user friendly mobile app will make accessing footage much simpler.
- Hard-wired or not – hard wire kits are useful for reducing clutter and loose cables in the cabin, however may need to be installed by a professional.
- Size of the device – a discrete device is important, one that doesn’t impede the view of the driver. Also consider whether the device has a screen, illumination can be very distracting, especially at night.
Pros and cons of dash cams
| Pros of a dash cam | Cons of a dash cam |
|---|---|
| Can be more reliable than third party witnesses | It can be seen as an invasion of privacy |
| Can prevent fraud as the rise of “staged” collisions rise | Can be used against you if you are involved in an accident which was your fault |
| Can help indicate who was at fault and who is liable | Can be a distraction when driving |
| Can help reach a claim settlement quicker | Can be costly to buy depending on brand, model and features. |
| Can be used as evidence if accused of dangerous driving in discussions with employers | |
| The presence alone of a dash cam can act as a deterrent from those looking to break into or vandalise your car | |
| Can potentially help reduce your insurance premium |
How much is a dash cam?
We offer two models of dash cam here at Midlands LR Centre. The Road Angel Halo Go and Halo Pro. Both are top end, discrete devices with high quality recording formats. Both have GPS tracking, G-force sensors, parking protection and a user friendly app for ease of use.
The price includes a fully hard wire installation by a Land Rover factory trained Technician and memory cards included:
Road Angel Halo Go – £243
Road Angel Halo Pro – £450
If you want further information on these particular models or our installation process, head over to the page here.
Summary – is a dash cam worth it?
Dash cams offer a unique combination of safety, security, and accountability for all drivers on the road. They’re great for insurance purposes and, in some cases, save you a lot of time and effort.
While they do come with their own set of considerations, in our opinion, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, making them a worthwhile investment.
No matter how sensible and safe you drive, there is no doubt someone on the road won’t be driving with the same consideration. Having a live recording of your vehicles movements could be critical when it comes to an incident. A few hundred pounds investment now, could save you thousands in claims down the line. Not to mention the device can be transferred between vehicles should you decide to change.
It found that driver error is the leading cause of road collisions in the UK, with an average of 67.26% of accidents each year coming as a result.
