There are a lot of positives to buying a dash cam. But they also have some drawbacks. Here’s a look at the pros and cons.
The pros
First, there’s the obvious benefit. Having a dash cam can serve as a form of insurance against other reckless and unscrupulous drivers. If you do get into an accident and it’s not your fault, a dash cam provides you with the evidence you need, so it’s not just a you-said, they-said situation. This is especially nice to have when dealing with drivers who are prone to being dishonest about what really happened. A dash cam can end up saving a lot of money in an insurance settlement for a crash.
But dash cams aren’t just to protect you against drivers in other cars. They can also help you keep track of other drivers in your car. This may be necessary for a family car that is shared with teenaged children. It may also be a good option for certain businesses where many employees use the same car.
Additionally, dash cams have other benefits beyond liability protection. Since dash cams are always recording, it can be a great way to capture video of spectacular scenery during a long road trip, or even something you spot on a shorter drive. Plus, the devices have other features that can help you plan and keep track of your trips.
The cons
But don’t rush out to get a dash cam just yet. It’s important to consider some of the drawbacks as well. Dash cams can make your a car a target for burglars. With this in mind, some owners may dissemble the cam after each use and put it in the glove compartment or somewhere else out of view. That makes it easy to forget to re-install it next time you drive, which defeats the whole purpose of having the constant protection of a dash cam.
A related consideration is the cost. Although some models come in the $50 range, dash cams can get pricy. Some run in the range of a couple hundred dollars. The cost needs to be factored into the potential pros and cons of a dash cam.
Dash cams also come at another price—your privacy. We live in a time when so much of our personal data is collected and stored by our cell phones, smart TVs, and other devices. Once your car is on and the dash cam is in, everything is recorded—not just the video, but the audio from inside your car. Some people may not be comfortable with being recorded in the privacy of their cars. Even though you’re the one recording it, other people may end up seeing it if there’s an accident or other incident requiring dash cam evidence.
Bottom line: A dash cam can be an extremely useful device that gives you added protection in the event of accidents or other encounters with dangerous or unscrupulous drivers. However, it comes at a cost in terms of convenience, cost, and loss of privacy. Drivers need to weigh these pros and cons and make the decision that is best for them and their individual circumstances.
Note: Sources included the following two sites: here and here.