Dashcams and Road Traffic Collisions: Why They Matter

Dashcams have become quite a common sight on UK roads, with a noticeable rise in use over the past few years, with approximately 34% of drivers having one. Many drivers install them as a form of security for their vehicle and for peace of mind in case something goes wrong while they are on the road.

If you spend any time on local social media groups, it is likely you’ve seen appeals for dashcam footage after a local incident or a road traffic collision. The Police also regularly ask the public to share footage, as it is clear, time-stamped evidence of what happened. In some cases, that footage can help support insurance claims and may also play an important role in personal injury cases.

In this guide, we will discuss:

• What dashcams are and how they work
• Whether you should consider getting a dashcam
• How dashcam footage is used in road traffic collision claims
• When footage can be used against you
• How to access and report dashcam footage to the police
• The role of dashcams in serious injury claims and road safety

What is a dashcam and how does it work?

Simply put, a dashcam is a small in-car camera, essentially a CCTV system for your vehicle. It records what happens on the road while you are driving. Most are fitted facing forwards, but some setups also include a rear-facing camera to capture what is happening behind the vehicle.

Dashcams work by recording footage continuously while the car is in use, with most starting recording when the car is switched on.

Does a dashcam record when the car is off?

Most dashcams only record when the car is on. However, more recent models include a “parking mode”, which allows the camera to continue recording when the vehicle is switched off. This uses motion or impact sensors to detect activity and start recording while the car is parked.

How does dashcam storage work?

Dashcams use loop recording, which means older footage is automatically overwritten once the memory is full. This allows the camera to keep recording without the driver needing to manage storage.

Footage is usually stored on an SD card, with some models offering cloud storage, allowing for recordings to be saved long term and accessed remotely.

Should I get a dashcam?

Whether or not you should get a dashcam for your vehicle is ultimately a personal choice. It depends on how comfortable you are with having your journeys recorded, and whether you feel that having footage available could be useful if something goes wrong on the road.

For many drivers, the potential benefits include:

• Independent evidence after a collision
• Protection against disputed liability
• Encouraging safer driving
• Supporting insurance claims

Can dashcam footage support a claim?

Many insurers will accept dashcam footage and it can help support an insurance claim by reducing disputes and reliance on verbal accounts. In some cases, it may also be considered when assessing risk, which can affect the cost of your insurance premium.

In serious injury claims, establishing fault is critical and liability is often disputed. This is where dashcam footage can be particularly valuable, as it provides hard evidence that can help give a clear record of events and support a more accurate understanding of how a collision occurred.

Do dashcams encourage safer driving?

There is an argument that they can, as their presence can encourage accountability. Knowing that driving is being recorded can encourage more careful and responsible behaviour, although this will vary from driver to driver.

Sarah Ouko, serious injury solicitor at Fletchers, comments:

“Dashcams can play a useful role in encouraging more careful driving, as motorists are often more conscious of their behaviour when they know it is being recorded.

However, their real value is often seen after an incident has occurred, where footage can help provide clarity about what happened and the circumstances.

So, I would say that dashcam use is part of the wider shift towards greater accountability and transparency on UK roads.”

How many people use dashcams in the UK?

Data from a survey of 2000 drivers, suggests about one in three drivers in the UK currently own a dashcam. The same  survey also found that over 30% of drivers have used dashcam footage to prove their innocence or support an insurance claim following a road incident, really showing the role that dashcams can play when disputes arise.

According to a Freedom of Information request, obtained by Confused.com dashcam footage submissions for dangerous driving are also increasing year on year, with reports in 2024 55% higher than in previous years.

There is no denying the rapid growth in dashcam adoption, and attitudes towards dashcams are also shifting, with around 70% of UK drivers believing all cars should be fitted with a dashcam.

How dashcams are used in road traffic collision claims

Through our work representing clients who have been victims of road traffic collisions, whether as drivers, pedestrians, cyclists or motorcyclists, we regularly see how valuable dashcam footage can be in the aftermath of an incident.

Dashcam footage can provide an objective record of what happened. In many cases, this helps establish liability and support a personal injury claim, particularly where the facts of a collision are disputed or where a client may not clearly recall the events due to the extent of their injuries.

Sarah Ouko, serious injury solicitor at Fletchers, comments:

“In road traffic collision claims, dashcam footage can be important where there is no agreement on how an incident occurred. It can help clarify disputed accounts and, alongside other evidence, assist in presenting a stronger and more accurate case.”

Can dashcam footage be used as Evidence?

Yes, in a road traffic collision claim, we can seek to obtain dashcam footage where accounts differ between our client and the defendant, or where there is no independent witness evidence. In these situations, dashcam footage can help clarify how the incident occurred.

Dashcam footage can also be particularly useful in hit and run cases, where footage may capture identifying details such as a number plate. This evidence can assist with criminal investigations and help progress a personal injury claim where the other party cannot initially be traced.

Further to this, in the case of multi-vehicle collisions, dashcam footage can help piece together the sequence of events, particularly where liability is shared or unclear between several drivers.

A Fletchers Solicitors case also demonstrates this use of dashcam footage in practice. We represented a motorcyclist involved in a road traffic collision where dashcam footage formed part of the wider evidence that supported a £100,000 settlement. Our road traffic collision solicitors could clearly see that the defendant had pulled out without warning, straight into the path of our client, thereby establishing fault.

Can dashcam footage be used against you?

This is what can put many people off using a dashcam in their vehicle. Yes, dashcam footage can be used against you if it shows unsafe driving or suggests shared responsibility for a collision, for example if it contradicts your account of events.

However, dashcam footage is generally treated as neutral evidence, with its impact depending on what it shows in the context of the wider evidence. It can support or undermine a Personal Injury Claims depending on the circumstances, and it can therefore be relevant to both sides when liability is being assessed.

If dashcam footage is relevant to a claim, it may need to be disclosed as part of the evidence process. This means it can be reviewed by the other party and their insurers.

For this reason, honest legal advice is important where dashcam evidence is involved, particularly in disputed road traffic collision claims.

How to access dashcam footage

Most dashcams allow you to:

• Remove the memory card and view footage on a laptop or computer, giving direct access to save or share clips securely
• Use a mobile app to download clips quickly and easily
• Save footage to cloud storage, which automatically backs up recordings for longer-term protection

Dashcams use loop recording, meaning older footage is overwritten when storage is full. Because of this, if an incident occurs, it’s important to save relevant footage as soon as possible to prevent it being lost.

Important when pursuing a claim: Preserving footage early can be important if it later forms part of the evidence in a road traffic collision claim.

How to report dashcam footage to the police

Many police forces in the UK provide dedicated online portals for submitting dashcam footage. These systems allow members of the public to upload video evidence of road traffic offences directly for review by trained officers.

For example, Greater Manchester Police operate an online submission system known as Operation Snap. Through this portal, road users can upload recordings of incidents such as dangerous driving, mobile phone use, speeding, red light offences, and close passes.

Once submitted, the footage is assessed by officers to determine whether it supports further action. This may include issuing warning letters, fixed penalties, or progressing an investigation.

Greater Manchester police and dashcam footage

Greater Manchester Police actively encourage the use of dashcam footage as part of their road safety enforcement strategy. Initiatives such as Operation Snap allow members of the public to report unsafe driving behaviour that may not have been detected by traditional roadside policing.

Submitted footage is reviewed by trained officers and can play a role in identifying dangerous driving and supporting enforcement action. In some cases, this may also help establish how an incident occurred, which can be relevant where a road traffic collision leads to a personal injury claim.

Local reporting has also highlighted how dashcam footage is playing a growing role in road safety enforcement, particularly in areas where fixed measures such as speed cameras are not always present. This reflects a broader shift towards using publicly submitted footage to help identify unsafe driving behaviour.

This approach shows how dashcams may also be contributing to safer roads, not just by supporting individual claims, but by helping to improve reporting and accountability among road users.

Are there any drawbacks to using a dashcam?

While dashcams offer many benefits, there are some considerations to be aware of:

• Privacy – dashcams should be used responsibly and not in a way that intrudes on the privacy of others, particularly when recording around private spaces.
• Sharing footage / storage – uploading dashcam clips to social media is strongly discouraged. It can breach privacy and data protection laws and may damage a potential claim. Footage should be stored securely and handled carefully.

• Footage being used against you – dashcam recordings may show unsafe driving or contradict your account of events, and in some cases may demonstrate contributory negligence, which could affect the outcome of a claim.
• Retention of footage – deleting footage that may later be relevant to a claim could cause issues if it is needed as evidence.

• Installation – poorly positioned dashcams can obstruct your view or become a distraction while driving, this can lead to a fine or rejected evidence.

Dashcams can be helpful in personal injury claims, criminal investigations and in insurance matters, but they do need to be used respectfully, responsibly and comply with the relevant legal requirements.

Our view: Why dashcams matter in serious injury claims

Our road traffic collision solicitors have represented hundreds of car drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists whose lives have been affected by injuries caused by the carelessness of others.

We are focused on helping clients access the compensation they need to support their recovery after serious injury, including rehabilitation, ongoing care, and the practical adjustments often required to adapt to life after a road traffic collision.

Road traffic collision claims have typically relied heavily on witness evidence and expert reports to help establish what happened. However, the increasing availability of dashcam footage is now providing clear evidence that can help clarify how a collision occurred.

As noted earlier in this piece, we have used dashcam footage as part of the evidence in securing settlements. In one case involving a motorcyclist, the footage was instrumental in showing the actions of the defendant leading up to the collision, including a vehicle pulling out into the rider’s path without warning, and formed part of the evidence supporting a £100,000 settlement.

Sarah Ouko, serious injury solicitor at Fletchers, comments:

“Dashcam footage can be particularly valuable in serious injury claims as it provides a clear visual record that can significantly strengthen a case when establishing liability. In contested claims, it can help support a more persuasive presentation of the evidence from the outset.

In addition, footage is not limited to the claimant or defendant’s vehicle, as recordings from other road users or nearby vehicles can also capture key moments leading up to a collision. In some cases, this can help make liability much clearer and easier to determine.”

What to do after a road traffic collision

If you are involved in a road traffic collision, what you do next will depend on the severity of the incident. However, where possible, you should always seek medical attention, even if injuries do not appear serious at first.

Once it is safe to do so, the incident should be reported to the police. In some cases, this is a legal requirement, particularly where injuries are involved or the road is blocked.

If you are able, you should also preserve any available evidence. This includes taking photographs of the scene, gathering witness details, and securing any dashcam footage. This may not only include footage from your own vehicle, but also from nearby vehicles dashcams that may have captured the incident.

Key steps include:

• Seek medical attention
• Report the collision
• Preserve any dashcam footage
• Take photographs and gather witness details
• Contact a solicitor for advice

Speaking to a specialist road traffic collision solicitor can help ensure you understand your rights and whether you may be entitled to compensation.

How we can help after an RTC

If you have been involved in a road traffic collision, whether or not dashcam footage is available, our solicitors can help you understand how the evidence in your case may be used to support a claim.

We have extensive experience in handling complex road traffic collision claims, including cases where liability is disputed and where expert evidence is required to establish what happened. This includes assessing all available evidence, such as witness accounts, medical records, and video footage, to build a clear understanding of the circumstances.

Talk to us about claim today