Dashcams are becoming increasingly popular in Ireland with more and more motorists appreciating the value of having an onboard front or rear dashcam.
Their important role in proving fault during road incidents and accidents and in ensuring fraudulent claims and disputes can be resolved quickly is a strong incentive for their use. Insurance companies welcome the use of onboard cameras and social media is awash with uploaded footage from cameras around the world. But dash cam ownership is not as easy as buying, installing, and turning it on. There are responsibilities regarding the use of the footage and legal implications for owners of the onboard cameras.
A dash cam, or dashboard camera is a video camera, usually mounted on the windscreen or on the dashboard of a vehicle and continuously records the view of the road. A dashboard camera acts as a silent witness to your driving and that of others. A single dash cam records in one direction, usually the front of the vehicle, while a dual channel system has both front and rear cameras. Versions also that record both insides the vehicle and the road outside. As the technology advances, so do does the surveillance capabilities and the capacity to record more real time activity.
Motor insurance companies often offer discounts to drivers who have dash cams installed. This is directly in response to the use of footage in combatting fraudulent injury claims and in saving hours in establishing liability in the event of an accident. Dispute resolving and having access to an indisputable account of any incidents, is cited as on of the prime reason for drivers to fit private cameras to their dashboards. Gardai regularly appeals for dash cam footage following serious incidents and there are many cases where it has been used as evidence of culpability following a road crash. However, uploading footage is not advisable. In some cases, posting an incident might hinder the investigation and delay or prevent a possible prosecution. Most importantly, dash cam owners have legal responsibilities under data protection laws regarding recording others and in uploading footage.
It is legal to have a dash cam in Ireland, but the stimulations are that the camera cannot obstruct the driver’s view and that you blur out all faces and registration numbers before publishing the footage. The Data Protection Commission has made it clear that anyone using a dash cam to record road activity has a legal responsibility under EU law to protect the privacy of those people they end up recording. Learn more on Guidance for Drivers on use of "Dash Cams" here. This means you need a sticker or visible sign that filming is taking place. Publishing the footage on social media platforms will risk infringing the privacy rights of recorded individuals and a hefty fine under data protection law.
Not all cars have a dash cam installed but many car manufacturers now offer vehicles with dashcam functionality built in. This is usually done by repurposing the vehicle's onboard cameras that would normally be part of the ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) and other automated driving and active safety features. At Volkswagen we appreciate the advantages and the benefits of a good dash cam in your excellent VW model. Ask about optional extras when browsing for your next VW and remember that all Volkswagen cars can be fitted with a VW approved dash cam designed specifically for your model. A quick chat with any of our experienced sales team will answer any questions you might have about Volkswagen dash cams.
As our Digital Dealership grows we know that more buyer confidence is needed throughout the online buying process and to assist we have introduced the Western Motors Group Used Car Grading System. The system has been devised to offer more transparency to our customers and to provide an easy guide as to the quality of the used car being sold.
