Staffordshire Police offer advice to dashcam users

With an increasing number of motorists using dashcams and cyclists wearing helmet cams, there are more people than ever capturing evidence of road traffic collisions.

As a result, Staffordshire Police is keen to provide advice to dashcam users to ensure they are able to share evidence of incidents witnessed on our roads.

Sergeant Rich Moors, from the Staffordshire and West Midlands Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: "The increased use of dashcam footage in cars, and head cam footage from cyclists, has been extremely helpful for both victims and officers.

"With footage from witnesses and those involved in serious road traffic collisions, we are able to gather evidence and ensure that appropriate police action is taken where necessary.

“However, there has been a number of occasions where witnesses have believed they have captured footage, but in fact, their dashcam has not been working correctly or the Secure Digital (SD) card has been full.

“From experience, it is advisable to follow the tips below to ensure that should you witness an incident or, worse still, be involved in a collision, your footage is secure and able to be replayed.”

• It is important to ensure that a compatible SD card is fitted to your dashcam and it is capable of recording footage. A 16GB SD card recording in HD quality should store around two to four hours of footage before overwriting the data.
• Be sure to set the duration of recording to what suits your needs – most cards record one-to-three-minute clips. The smaller the clip, the smaller the file size to transfer and review when it’s needed.
• Some dashcams have gyroscopic sensors which enable incidents to be recorded when a collision or harsh breaking is detected. These incidents are usually stored in a separate area of the SD card to prevent them being overwritten. If your dashcam has this option, make sure to switch it on and always secure your footage early.
• It is vital that you regularly check that your dashcam is recording correctly. Sometimes SD cards get corrupted or full, and the important data is not stored when a collision occurs.
• Most dashcams have the ability to update the firmware, the code that makes the camera function and ensures it remains secure from cyber-attacks. Ensure that you update your camera to the latest firmware via the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you've been involved in a road traffic collision, or think you might have witnessed an offence on the roads, find out how to report it using our simple online tool: https://www.staffordshire.police.uk/ro/report/rti/rti-beta-2.1/report-a-road-traffic-incident/