What is a Dash Cam and Why Should I Have One?
Whether it’s poor eyesight or just wanting extra safety during your road trips, installing a dash cam is good.
It’s easy to understand why there is a growing demand for dash cam nowadays. With video almost everywhere, many are investing in dashcams to drive smarter. While a dashcam can benefit you as a driver, you extend the safety to other drivers, road users, and bystanders.
Although car accidents are inevitable at times, you are more likely to avoid any car crash or vehicle accidents with the installation of vehicle cams. A car accident is unavoidable, especially with a dashboard camera aboard your ride. If you don’t know what a dashcam is, you’ve come to the right page. This guideline will give you insights about dashboard cameras and help you choose the best dash cams available on the market.
What is a dashcam, and how does it work?
More popularly called a dash cam, a dashboard camera is a small video camera installed on a vehicle’s dashboard. Vehicle cams serve as critical witnesses if drivers encounter vehicular accidents or car theft. The main goal of installing these cams is to record every occurrence on the road carefully and accurately.
If you’re in doubt if you need one, you’re not alone. A lot of drivers say they don’t need a vehicle cam. We get it that the cost is a bit expensive. However, looking at how you plan to use your vehicle for the long run, you can save by avoiding vehicle accidents, hit-and-run, and robbery.
If you’re convinced enough to get one but are now wondering how do dash cams work, here are some essential insights:
This type of camera is convenient to use. Vehicle cams are small enough to be mounted discreetly to your windshields. Other high-end dashcams even have a navigational panel and a small built-in screen that allows you to adjust settings and review footage.
Vehicle cam installation is easy. When you’ve bought a vehicle cam, you can either DIY and install it yourself or pay extra to have them professionally installed.
Dash cams can fit easily in any vehicle. There are two ways to mount a camera to your car – professional installers can wire it to your car’s battery, or you can plug it into your car’s cigarette lighter port. With modern and newer devices, they can transfer data directly to your smartphone or computer if you need recordings.
What are the benefits of a dashcam?
Dash cams are not just invented to take snaps and record every detail of your driving journey. Since these cams have a lot of features, they can enhance your driving awareness and safety. If you need to keep an eye on your teen’s driving, or you would like to have extra security on the parking lot, a vehicle cam is all you need. Scroll down to know the other benefits dash cams can provide.
Defend a traffic ticket with solid video proof.
Any good lawyer will always ask you if you have a dash cam video. For example, an officer ticketed you for beating the red light. In your defense, you did not. Here is where the dash cam footage comes in handy. Even if you have a ticket due to overspeeding, you can easily challenge the claim and show solid proof from your cam recording.
Provide dash cam footage to settle auto insurance claims
Again, recording the road mishaps is very useful. If you have a recording of an accident on your dash cam, you can speed up the process of your car insurance claims. If the video proves that it wasn’t your fault, your car insurance premium won’t increase. Any video footage from your dash cam can also let you avoid insurance fraud.
Parents can monitor teen drivers
Monitor your young drivers and ensure their safety. The dash cam features like G-sensors and GPS tracking can sense impacts and then trigger alerts. A CDC report shows that car crashes are higher in teens aged 16-19. The recordings can also be training opportunities for new drivers. Young drivers will be more aware of their surroundings and drive more responsibly. A cabin view cam is also another option to record what the driver and all the passengers are doing inside the car.
Monitor your car
Any parked car on the street can be a thief’s target. If your car has a dash camera, it can take photos of any thief that will try to open your vehicle. It can even activate alert signals. It’s not only thieves to watch out for. But any parked car is also susceptible to bumping by another parking car. For instances like this, the motion detector of a dash camera will start recording and send a message to your mobile phone.
Drive with extra cautious eyes
When you drive with dash cams on, you have extra eyes monitoring your surroundings and the road ahead. Young also has a better and more complete view of the rearview mirror compared to just a regular mirror. Good-quality dash cams offer extra safety features like collision warnings and departure alerts. Some dash cam models have split-screen features that will give you the traffic view behind. Other high-end dash cameras can detect a fast-approaching vehicle and alert you.
Record scenic views while on the road
With your dashboard cam footage, you’ll never miss any scenic view on your road trips or while driving at the National Parks. Your dash cam can instantly capture those views. At the same time, you can just enjoy the scenery and avoid worrying that you’re not able to take photos. Your dash cam will do it for you. Since you can edit and share video footage, you’ll be able to save those memories from your journeys.
Monitor the surroundings of a parked vehicle
Your front and rear dash cams can capture a 360-degree view of the environment. Even if you’re not driving and just parked, your dash cams can still record the surroundings. You will lessen the job of your auto insurance companies if you have one installed. However, it will depend on its power source and battery settings.
Best Dash Cams on Amazon
If your car doesn’t have a dash cam yet, you might want to re-think getting one. While dash cams are a popular car accessory worldwide, it’s perfectly normal to assess if you can shoulder the dash cams’ worth. Many dash cams offer features that won’t break your bank. In this post, we gather the top dash cams on Amazon with the most excellent reviews.
Best Seller Dash Cam
Wolfbox Mirror dash Cam Backup Camera
Price: $118.99
Double up your road safety with the upgraded features of this Wolfbox dash cam. You’ll never have to agonize over blind spots, as this has an ultra-wide view design. The intelligent split function will let you see the dual-lens display simultaneously. An upgraded Sony lens with 1296P uses a wider IPS touch screen. You’ll get a clear quality view and recordings.
Pros
- This dash cam is built with dual cameras to give you a clearer view while driving.
- It is equipped with a 32GB TF card.
- Its built-in high-quality chip enables mirror camera recording of both front and rear on a high resolution of full HD 1080P.
- Plus, this dash cam can loop recording, allowing continuous recording even if the memory card is full.
- A G-sensor on the camera can detect any sudden collision and lock in the collision video. It will serve as your video evidence.
Cons
- This is not designed for right-hand drive cars.
Top-rated Dash Cam
Rove Dash Cam Built-in WiFi and GPS
Price: $119.99
Get ready to capture all those scenic views and upload them directly on your mobile phones. Rove camera has an app that you can link to your iOS and Android devices. You can easily manage all 4k footage and snapshots through the use of the app. Never worry about blurred shots, as this dash cam can produce ultra HD video recordings of up to 2160p resolution.
Pros
- Its state-of-the-art technology has f1.8 apertures, motion detection, and parking mode.
- Aside from the 512GB class 10 – U3 speed micro SD card, it also has an emergency video lock, loop cycle recording, time-lapse video, and slow-mo video.
- The advanced software and hardware are designed to provide users with the ultimate video quality even during nighttime.
- Also, the kit includes dual mounts – a 360 deg rotating suction mount and a 3M Sticky Mount.
Cons
- The suction cup can be a tad weak in sticking through
Best Budget Dash Cam
CHORTAU Dual Dash Cam
Price: $69.95
Drive with no worries with this dual cam covering both front and rear angles. All the footage goes straight to the memory card for accessibility. This dash cam can take clear photos and videos even when driving at night. With 6pcs LED, infrared lights, and night vision technology, you can drive safely in low-light places.
Pros
- A dashboard camera with a built-in battery enables you to turn in parking mode. It can last for 24 hours.
- Even when in parking mode, the screen will show you the front and rear view simultaneously.
- It also features a G-sensor that locks in the SD card when there’s a collision trigger.
- Aside from the loop recording feature, the recordings will also be automatically deleted once the memory card is full.
- Also, its rear camera is waterproof, so no worries if it gets wet.
Cons
- If used for too long, the device heats up.
Most Recommended HD Dash Cam
THINKWARE Q800Pro Dual Dash Cam
Price: $399.99
If you’re after sleek design and excellent performance, the Thinkware camera is for you. It is designed with an advanced driver assistance system for extra warning of any potential collisions. This dash cam can also warn you of lane departures and speed cameras, and red-light cameras. One of the most advanced dash cams that will allow you to check your vehicle’s location through their Thinkware Cloud. You can get Driving Impact and Geo-fencing notifications on your phone.
Pros
- Prepare to see clean, detailed footage in 2k QHD 1440P with its 5.14MP Sony Starvis image sensor.
- This dash cam can track the time, speed, and route history with its built-in GPS antenna.
- It is also protected with an anti-file corruption technology that lessens the risk of footage loss.
- The super night vision system minimizes the noise and boosts image quality even in low-light conditions.
Cons
- It’s pricey compared to other dash cams.
Best Selling Dash Cam
Vantrue 3 Channel 4k dash Cam
Price: $259.99
For road safety, this three-channel camera is your best companion. With its excellent solution, you can have fewer worries about dangerous drivers. Since this is a three-channel camera, it can simultaneously record the car’s interior, the road ahead, and the rearview. All recordings will come out in an impressive 4k video capturing road signs and license plate numbers.
Pros
- The 360-degree complete protection is rotatable, giving you a great view of your vehicle’s sides.
- Aside from the GPS mount, it can provide you with a live view of your speed.
- It can also keep track of your location while using the GPS by using the Vantrue GPS player.
- The super night vision feature can accompany you safely on your night rides.
- You can turn on parking mode for 24 hours.
Cons
- The parking mode footage isn’t as straightforward as the normal mode.
Conclusion
Road safety is always on top of the list of priorities. When driving, not every angle can be seen through all the mirrors. So to add extra safety and security to your driving, installing dash cams is vital. If crashes happen, insurance companies ask for footage first. You can also avoid speeding tickets and insurance fraud if you have video proof. Our list above provides you with the best options of dash cams to have. Choose one and start driving safely.
