Bad drivers. Suicidal deer. Straight-up vandals. There’s no shortage of reasons to have a second set of eyes in your ride. But the typical safety hazards of the roads aren’t the only reasons to buy a dash cam and stick it in your car today. 

Sure, they’re not the cheapest upgrade, but a good dash cam goes a long way

Granted, if you drive like a lunatic (or a daft kid), a dash cam might not be your best friend. Even with a constitutional amendment protecting you from self-incrimination, the police can subpoena your dash cam footage, which can land you on the hook for traffic violations and crimes. However, your dash cam is there to protect you, and the benefits far outweigh the detriments. 

Their word against your dash cam

You’re out for a drive. The car ahead of you inexplicably slams on its brakes. There’s no time. Boom, you rear-end the car, and your relaxed drive comes to an end.

The good news is that you put a dash cam in your car last week. So instead of the situation turning into a “you vs. them” battle of recollected stories, you can provide the police and your insurance provider with your footage. Not even the most impassioned lie can discredit a clear video.  

Insurance, insurance, insurance

Unfortunately, you likely won’t get a discount on your insurance policy for having a dash cam like you do for a locking garage. However, your memory card and footage can help your provider come to or overturn a decision that could impact your rates. 

It records everything, even police officers

Let’s say you’re in one of those situations where a police officer oversteps their authority, handles a situation poorly, or acts in an unprofessional manner. Normally, it would be up to you to remember as much as possible before filing a complaint or contacting an attorney.

However, your dash cam, even if the police officer isn’t in frame, can capture the audio of an interaction. 

Some models will record parking lot impacts

Have you ever returned to your car in a parking lot or structure to discover that someone had hit it and left? Well, your dash cam can help you out.

I reviewed a dash cam last year that features an “intelligent parking mode.” The parking setting can record constantly, or “wake up” to record the aftermath of an impact, like a hit-and-run. In short, it could be the only way to verify who (or what) hit your car.