Driver warning – why uploading dash cam footage onto social media could cost you a FORTUNE

say that one in five vehicles in the UK are now fitted with a dash cam - and video footage from these devices are frequently used by police forces to prosecute a range of offences

Dash cam video can also support an insurance claim and help to work out which driver was at fault, and liable to cover any costs, in the event of an accident.

Tens of thousands of road users now submit footage of dodgy driving directly to police forces, which is used as evidence to help convict offenders.

So much so that police forces up and down the country have set up 'Operation Snap' in response to the ever-increasing submissions of video and photographic evidence from members of the public in relation to road traffic offences.

With a growing proportion of road users collating footage of law-breaking through their dashcams, the Crown Prosecution Service has warned recorders not to upload their footage to social media.

If the clip is used as evidence to prosecute, the footage shouldn't be in the public domain because it could adversely affect subsequent proceedings.

By posting dashcam footage to social media platforms, there is a risk of infringing the privacy rights of individuals that are recorded and the data protection law.

Gary Digva, the founder of , said: “Dashcams are extremely useful devices for motorists and can help them to gather evidence and information for both insurance companies and the police if there is an accident.

"However, if you capture an incident on your camera, you should think twice before uploading any footage to social media.

“Doing so could risk infringing the data protection rights of recorded individuals, even if they were driving dangerously.

“Posting the footage online without the consent of all involved can be seen as a violation of privacy and could easily interfere with legal proceedings, meaning the evidence could be scrapped, and the case closed as a result.

“It’s best not to share any of the footage with anyone bar the police, who will exclusively use it for court proceedings.”

This comes after drivers were warned about a common dash cam mistake that could put their life at risk.

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