Getting Accident Evidence In Unfamiliar Places With Tech
Posted on: 27 July 2017
When you're on a vacation, you might not know the ins and outs of different communities, much less the roads. Getting in an accident with low visibility and unfamiliar surroundings can make it difficult if fault is disputed or if your legal adversary tries to blame you for being an outsider without local driving experience. Here are a few ways to grab evidence to prove your innocence, as well as ways to stay safer before the problem starts.
A Dash Cam Is A Massive Help
Surveillance becoming widespread isn't just a cheesy plot from a dystopic movie or novel. Mobile phones are proof of the easy ability to record on the go without needing a lot of equipment or skill, and dash cams are a slowly growing category of tools that have been getting just as advanced.
Dash cams no longer require direct car battery connection or a large mount for proper use. They're getting smaller and keeping the same video quality that can be seen on YouTube videos. In fact, YouTube and many other internet video sites are full of dash cam incidents to show off that quality.
With most dash cam systems, you'll have a storage drive connected to a camera, along with a battery pack that can be connected to different types of power sources. In a way, it's not much different from having a tablet or other mobile device that puts the computer power focus on recording.
The most basic features are simple recording and time tracking. Advanced features allow you to connect computers (specifically smartphone and mobile devices) to copy information over, and some are even wireless or cellular internet-capable. Communications can come in handy if your worried about someone stealing or destroying the evidence, and an internet connection allows you to send it to someone quickly either from an advanced dash cam or from your phone after copying.
Dash cams are empowering, but don't put yourself at risk. Attempting to put pressure on the other person by saying that you have a dash cam can incite the other party to steal or destroy evidence, so speak with an attorney in your home and vacation state. If in doubt, just call the police and wait until they arrive to reveal your evidence.
Tracking Down Evidence
If the dash cam doesn't get everything you need, or if you're reading this after an accident without a dash cam, you'll need to track down evidence elsewhere.
Local businesses are your best bet, as security cameras may be in the area. These cameras may point towards roads, and can be used to decipher right of way violations or sudden stops even from long distances.
Be ready to copy evidence with permission. This means having recordable CDs, DVDs, thumb drives (USB stick drives or flash drives), or microSD cards that are often used in cameras and phones. You don't want to tamper with evidence; just give the facility owner or security camera operator the media to copy if they don't have the media in stock. It's your accident, so don't just hope that the business has everything.
You may want to reach out through social media to find people who may have recorded the incident. Phones and cameras come out quickly these days, so you may be in luck with some footage that at least shows accident aftermath.
Contact a car accident lawyer to discuss other ways to get the right types of evidence to support your legal argument.
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