Of all the car technology that has emerged over the last several years, one of them has become a must-have for money expert Clark Howard: the dash cam.
If you’re a fan of the show Cops, you know that dash cams can be quite entertaining, but there’s another reason why they are important.
Clark Howard: Here’s Why You Should Have a Dash Cam
“When there is an accident, it is a big-stakes game who ends up being held responsible for that accident. And you don’t want it to be you, particularly if you didn’t do anything wrong,” Clark says. “Dashcams are much more popular outside of the United States, than here, but they are absolutely essential for you to have.”
For the price that it costs, Clark says you can’t beat the value of a dash cam when it comes to protecting you and yours in a car accident. And with the rising cost of auto insurance, he says not everyone has one, but everyone should.
“Dash cams are a common thing in virtually every single car in a lot of countries in Central and Eastern Europe and routinely in vehicles in Asia. And now they’re growing in popularity by leaps and bounds in the United States,” Clark says.
Dash cams, which are cameras typically attached to your windshield, are no longer exclusive to police cruisers. Everyday citizens can own and mount them in their vehicles.
They usually come with an SD card that will cost you anywhere from $5 to $15. You can plug them into your USB port or cigarette lighter in your car.
Clark says he likes dash cams because they continuously loop-record video.
“The most sophisticated dash cams stamp real-time location and time data into the video. They also can tell when you’re in an accident and it can automatically create a permanent record of the crash,” Clark says.
3 Instances Where Dash Cams Are Invaluable
Three areas where dash cams can make all the difference in the world as if you’re involved in a crash, have an inexperienced driver in your home or if you’re afraid the mechanic is going to rip you off.
Let’s talk about each of these instances:
In Car Crashes
People’s recollections of an auto accident can vary tremendously, even if they’re trying to remember in good faith, Clark says. The dash cam video, on the other hand, will have all the facts.
If you’re in an accident and you claim you’re not at fault, dash cam video can prove it. Clark says that if you’re in a crash, having a dash cam tell your story is far more valuable than relying on your memory — or that of another person.
“I look at them as ultra-cheap insurance,” Clark says.
“I particularly recommend these for people who have a tendency to drive more cautiously,” he says.
To Aid Parents
Many people use dash cams to monitor their teenage drivers.
“If you have a new driver in the house — a teenager — there are more expensive dash cams that monitor what your teen is doing behind the wheel as well as what’s going on around that vehicle,” Clark says.
To Help You Watch an Unscrupulous Mechanic
There are shade-tree mechanics, then there are shady mechanics. A dash cam can help you keep an eye on the latter.
Some people have set up dash cams to record how long it takes for their vehicle to be serviced, and you might be surprised with what they’ve learned.
According to TV news station KCRA, one customer in California who put a camera in his car caught a mechanic taking his vehicle out for a joy ride. Here’s footage:
Absent a good mechanic, you could benefit from having some eyes and ears on the ground, as they say. As you can see, owning a dash cam can come in handy for a number of things that affect your wallet!
Where To Buy Dash Cams
Dash cams can typically be found at any electronics retailer. Clark.com’s sister site ClarkDeals.com has a Dash Cam page as well as an Electronics page, which routinely has sales on dash cams.
Clark also suggests going on Amazon, where you should be able to find one under $20. After a quick Amazon search, I found this 32GB dash cam with Super Night Vision for about $17.
“Even though you’ll see dashcams for $600 or $800 and do all this fancy stuff, the reality is having a $15 one will get the job done.”
Bottom Line
Clark says what you’ll pay for a dash cam is nothing compared to the potential losses you may have to kick out for a car accident if you’re innocent and can’t prove your case.
“With a dashcam, it records video when you’re in an accident and if it’s not your fault, you can show the video to the officer and it can keep you out of trouble,” Clark says.
