Auto accidents are also a potential cause of catastrophic injuries and property destruction. Previously, the recording of a wreck was mostly limited to a police questionnaire and a witness. The spread of smartphones and dashcams has incidentally transformed the way crash records are kept in recent years.
Technology is priceless and important to individuals, insurance companies, and law enforcement. They provide information that can be verified in real-time and which complements accident reports and testimony of witnesses.
Dashcams Are Passive
Dashcams are a passive surveillance device that can provide primary evidence in a personal injury or property damage claim, partially because they provide impartial evidence. Accident reconstruction experts can use the video evidence to improve the accuracy of the reconstruction.
Dashcam evidence goes beyond a visual version of the crash. A variety of valuable information is captured by the dashcam. Some of these can include GPS coordinates and speed.
The footage that’s collected from a dashcam can’t be easily altered. The metadata is automatically collected, and it can be used for a variety of reasons related to the crash. Some of the information that’s collected in the metadata include:
- Time created or modified
- Date created
- Date accessed
- Speed
- Time zone
- Timestamps
Smartphones Are Active
Smartphones offer a versatile platform for video recording and image capturing. Unlike dashcams, smartphones will typically only be used to document the aftermath of the accident. This can include things like the condition and position of each vehicle, injuries that parties suffered, road conditions, and any other property division. This can bridge the information gap that can occur with dashcam footage.
Smartphones also make it easier to report the crash in real time. Instead of someone having to leave the scene to find a payphone to contact emergency services, people can instantly contact them on a smartphone.
These devices have also revolutionized the process of reporting the crash and its effects to insurance companies. Claims can usually be handled on the phone, and it’s typically possible to upload photos instantly.
Powerful Teamwork
By combining dashcams and smartphones, it is possible to view all aspects of the crash event. The panoramic shots provided by the constant recordings of a dashcam and the still shots of a smartphone provide access to different angles.
There are those who have expressed concerns about privacy, data security, and the integrity of evidence associated with dashcams and smartphones. There are legal implications to privacy issues, such as the unwanted capturing of personal or sensitive information, which are some things that should be avoided.
Dashcams and smartphones should be introduced well in personal injury or any other issue pertaining to a crash. It is possible to carefully analyze the footage and the photographs and come to the right conclusions regarding the wreck.
