Drivers face being slapped with £200 fine if you install your dashcam wrong – are you at risk?
DRIVERS have been issued a warning that they could be slapped with a £200 fine if they fail to install dash cams correctly.
Dash cams are legal on UK roads and don't require special permission to install, but there are still rules on how to use them.
Positioning your camera correctly is the most important thing, as The Highway Code states that windows "must be kept clean and free from obstructions to vision."
Car experts at Hippo Leasing have warned drivers that the definition of an "obstruction to vision" could include dash cams.
If motorists fall foul of this rule, they could face a hefty £200 fine as well as six license points.
Rules state that obstructions cannot be more than 40mm into the area swept by windscreen wipers.
More warnings around dash cam use were also issued.
For example, car owners were reminded that they are legally obliged to tell others that a dash cam is in use if the car is used as a work vehicle, such as for taxi drivers.
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Not informing passengers that they are being filmed or using footage without their consent could open cabbies and similar workers up to legal action.
Further reminders were issued that footage from the devices can be used in court and cops can demand it as evidence, even if it is to prosecute the camera's owner.
Police can seize memory cards if they suspect an offence was committed.
Finally, keen travelers were reminded to check the laws on dash cams in their destination country.
Popular holiday destinations like Austria and Portugal enforce total bans on the recording devices.
Repeat offenders in Austria are even liable for a five-figure fine.
However, dash cams do bring significant benefits, such as insurance discounts.
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Gavin Hill, the manager of insurance provider Adrian Flux, said: "Video footage (from a dash cam) can not only help settle a claim quickly and avoid lots of added stress at an already upsetting time.
"But having a dash cam in the first place can lead to discounts of up to 15% off the cost of your insurance because car insurance companies know how beneficial the technology is for all parties concerned."
