Do You Use A Dash Cam?

One thing which we’re seeing becoming increasingly common is for drivers to use what is known as a ‘dash cam.’ Each day, thousands of drivers take this footage, uploading to the likes of YouTube videos of both near misses and nasty accidents whilst also having the backup of video to prove who was at fault in the case of an involvement in a collision.

There is, however, millions who are still driving on the roads without a dash cam (short for ‘dashboard camera’ if you hadn’t guessed) which could, in the event of an accident, save hundreds of pounds in insurance fees. Of course, the question which must really be asked, however, is why do we actually need to purchase and drive with a camera on our dashboards? Surely if everyone drove sensibly we wouldn’t have to?

Whilst in theory, that’s correct, what we must remember is that our roads are getting busier… and busier… and busier! It’s no hidden fact that most households now have at least two cars, many with more and that doesn’t do any good when it comes to keeping the roads a safer place. Our roads are continually putting even the very best and most sensible drivers to the test, pushing them to their limits each and every time they head out in their cars. This, unfortunately, is now a reality and isn’t going to change. Even the most experienced drivers are sometimes put in situations where they need to make VERY quick decisions and accidents can’t necessarily always be avoided, given all of the environmental factors which need to be considered.

Of course, putting the number of cars on our roads aside for a moment, what we must also take into account is that insurance fraud is on the rise and the number of ‘crash for cash’ collisions certainly isn’t reducing.

As such, the current trend is that drivers are taking the situation into their own hands and purchasing a dash cam which can, in the event of an accident or collision, generally prove who is at fault. This could well, as more and more drivers use them, help to reduce the number of ‘crash for cash’ incidents and, over time, stop some of the extreme insurance premiums which we all face as a result of such fraud. A recent survey by the RAC had proven that one in 4 (26%) think the the UK should make such cameras compulsory. This is something which could significantly reduce such insurance frauds as well as having a definitive conclusion to ‘who is at fault’ across almost any crash, accident or collision.

Whilst there’s no denying the fact that the purchase of a dash cam is something which all motorists should consider purchasing, which should you go for? Are there any benefits of paying a little more and what are the bargains out there? We decided to take the time to do the research and look at three great contenders for your consideration:

ZV002 Vehicle Camera – £15.99

The ZV002 Vehicle Camera comes in at just £15.99 and offers a 720p camera, 2.5” TFT screen and an 8gb SD card. You really can’t get much more affordable than this and when you consider the financial implications which an accident where the blame is wrongly pointed could cost, can you really afford not to buy one?

1080P 2.7″ HD LCD Car Dash Video DVR w/ Night Vision – £18.30

For just a few pounds more than our first option, why not go for a full HD 1080p dash cam over a 720p? Whilst technically they’ll both do the same job in the event of an accident, if you fancy uploading some footage to YouTube, you’ll appreciate the higher recording quality!

GARMIN Dash Cam 20 Dashboard Camera – £169

At the other end of the market we’ve got the GARMIN Dash Cam 20 which comes complete with automatic incident detection, allows you to capture still images and has it’s own built in microphone. It’s marketed as ‘an unblinking eyewitness’ however unless you feel like treating yourself, the question we ask is do you really need to go so high end when a £16 product can do the same thing?