Do I Need a Dash Cam in My Vehicle in Florida?

Florida does not legally require dash cams for vehicles, but you may be thinking about using one because the footage can benefit you in several ways.

Dash cams provide evidence in the case that you are in a car accident. If you have questions about using dash cams in this capacity, contact a Florida motor vehicle accident lawyer.

What Are Dash Cams?

Dash cams, or dashboard cameras, mount onto car dashboards to record events outside and inside the car. Historically, police cars, taxis, and trucks have used dash cams. Now, more people with standard passenger vehicles are beginning to use them too. 

Dash cams record video, and sometimes audio, as you drive. The content the camera captures depends on the type of camera you have. The camera then stores the content on a memory card or in the cloud so you can access it easily when you need to. 

Types of dash cams include: 

• Traditional dash cam: Captures video from the front of your car
• Dual-camera dash cam: Captures video from the front of your car and inside your car
• Rearview mirror dash cam: Fits over your rearview mirror and captures video from in front of your car

Benefits of Having a Dash Cam

Having a dash cam is beneficial in many situations. This camera acts as proof of not only your driving but others’ as well. 

Proving Fault After a Car Accident

Dash cams provide real-time evidence of events. If you’re in a Florida motor vehicle accident, you can prove what happened with footage from your dash cam. You can also use the recordings to pursue a personal injury lawsuit if your accident resulted in a significant injury. Contact a Florida motor vehicle accident lawyer to pursue a claim using dash cam footage as evidence.

Recording Bad Drivers

Unfortunately, when it comes to driving safety, you can only control your own actions. If you have evidence of reckless driving that puts everyone in danger, you can use it to hold that person accountable. For example, you could submit footage of a commercial truck driving erratically to the trucking company so the company can address that driver’s actions.

Providing Evidence to Appeal Traffic Tickets

Police officers may misinterpret a situation or wrongly accuse you of a traffic violation. If an office writes you an unjust traffic ticket, you can contest the ticket in court with your dash cam footage as video evidence.

What Laws Do I Need to Know About Dash Cams?

If you’re thinking about buying a dash cam, you should know about these Florida laws:

• The Florida Windshield Obstruction Law states that drivers cannot use a car with a windshield that has an obstructed view. When installing your dash cam, make sure its placement isn’t obstructing your view.
• The Florida Electronic Audio Surveillance Law states that to record audio, everyone being recorded must consent. If your dash cam records audio, notify every passenger in your car.

If you’re using dash cam footage in a court, Florida requires that the footage is clear and authentic. As the owner of the footage, you have to swear to its authenticity. 

Want to Use Dash Cam Footage in a Car Accident Case? Contact an Experienced Attorney in Florida 

Dash cam footage is useful evidence to have when you’re in a car accident. To know how to use this evidence, contact the Leaser Law Firm to work with a Florida motor vehicle accident lawyer.

Scott A. Leaser is an experienced attorney and an Eagle member of the Florida Justice Association. He represents car accident victims in personal injury cases and can help you use your dash cam footage as evidence. Contact us at the Leaser Law Firm today to schedule a consultation.