Recording what’s happening live in your car can save your life and avoid a lot of trouble. Dashcams are becoming more and more popular due to violence and police brutality. Not only that but also due to the fact that there are a lot of car accidents happening on the road and it’s a good idea to have a way to prove your innocence.
The point is that installing a camera in your car does sound like a great idea. The only thing is that people don’t stop to think about whether or not it is a legal operation that you are conducting. After all, you are filming other people.
So, is it legal to install a camera in your car? It is legal as long as you are not infringing on people’s privacy. Since you are very likely to be filming other people while they are in public places, there’s no privacy expected in those places. So, you are more than fine to make those footages. It can save you a lot of trouble and even your life.
Now, before you either decide to install a camera in your car or not to, the best thing that you can do is to know everything about the subject. For instance, there are certain situations that are illegal for you to have a camera recording in your car. Also, you must know how to install it in the right place so it’s also in accordance with your state laws.
So, if you keep reading this article you will find out below how to install the camera, how to choose the best one for you, and all the important things in regard to the legality of having a camera in your car.
It Is Legal To Film Accidents And Anything Else You Want
So, the main question about whether or not the camera in your car is legal has to do with the fact that the camera is filming other people without their consent. Now, as long as the footage is happening in a public place, which in this case would be the road, it is legal. You can’t infringe people’s privacy while they are in public places.
So, everything that is in public places is fair game. In this case, using the camera to film accidents, people doing stupid things, or anything else that you want is okay. It’s completely legal to do those things. The important thing is that people are not in private areas that are non-visible from the outside, unlike the yard.
If you keep this in mind, you will save yourself a lot of trouble. You can also focus on only keeping the footage that is important like accidents. It’s important to also point out that certain things might not be okay to release online. Especially if there are minors involved, even if it is a minor accident. One camera that works remarkably well is one made by Apeman. It has many functions and according to reviews, works very well. Click Here for more information.
If The Camera Records Audio In The Car, You Must Let Passengers Know
Another thing when it comes to whether or not what you are doing is legal is the audio that the camera records. The first thing that you must understand is that the inside of the car is private property and not a public place. This means that it will be treated differently depending on what you are doing.
Another important thing is to keep in mind that the camera that you are going to install in your car also records audio. This means that you should, by law, let the passengers know that they are being recorded and get their consent. This is important because recording someone without their knowledge and consent is illegal and might get you into a lot of trouble.
This is why you should always let people know. Now, if you are only using the camera to record accidents and any other unusual thing that might happen on the road, you should relax about this. You can edit the audio out of the footage or just turn it off before using the camera. This will make things easier since you will not have to worry about legal things.
Choose A Camera With Motion Detector And Loop Recording
Now, installing a camera in your car will not make you worried only about the legality of the operation. You will also be worried about what camera to buy and how to install it. Now only for regulation purposes but also to make sure that the camera captures everything. After all, you don’t want to get home and find out that nothing was filmed.
So, make sure to buy a camera with a motion detector and loop recording. This will ensure that you not only get the camera working when there’s actually something happening but also that the camera is able to record everything with enough quality to make the footage useful in most situations that you might need.
As you can see, if you make sure that the camera has these two features, you are good to go. You will be able to film any car accident or crash that you might later need to prove something. It’s important to also think about how you are going to store all the footage that the camera makes. One such dashcam I recommend is the Apeman. It is highly rated and very affordable. To get the latest pricing, Click Here.
Position It Opposite To The Driver’s Seat Below 5-inch Square
This is important to make sure that your camera is respecting safety regulations and because it helps you overall. The camera should always be installed in the opposite seat to the driver’s seat. This is to make sure that it will not obstruct the driver’s view. It is quite dangerous to do so.
The best solution for this case is to always install the camera where is the passenger’s front seat. Now, since it is still possible to block the driver’s view, you must make sure that the camera is installed 5 inches square below from the position is being placed. If the camera is too high, it will block the view, which can cause serious accidents.
So, the best you can do is to respect this rule. Not only that but in a lot of states is illegal to not respect this instruction. You can get a serious fine if you install the camera in a way that blocks the driver’s view.
The Inside Of The Car Is Not Public Place
As you are learning, installing a camera in your car is not illegal. As a matter of fact, it is completely okay to do so and it can actually save you from a lot of trouble. Still, you must know a few things such as regulations that make sure that you do everything according to the law.
So, installing a camera inside your car is legal because it does not infringe people’s right to privacy because you are recording in public places. Still, it is important to point out that the inside of your car is not a public place. This means that you can install the camera to film the outside but not the inside.
At least, what you must know is that filming the inside would be illegal if you are filming someone without their knowledge and/or without their consent. So, keep in mind that the inside of your car is private property even if it is yours and, therefore, people should know that you are filming them.
Related Questions
Do Dash Cameras Work When The Car Is Off?
Normally, no. The camera will be plugged in the cigarette adapter. This is turned off when the car is off. So, the camera will not work while the car is not on. What you can do about, if you want the camera to work while the car is off, is to connect it to the battery, so it will work in parking mode. This is the only way.
Will My Dash Cam Drain My Battery?
It is possible but not likely. If you do not drive your car frequently, and the dashcam is always turned on, it can drain the battery of your car. Now, if you do drive your car all the time, your battery will be fine. You will not need to worry about it.