What a dashcam can and cannot prove after a road accident
Dashcam footage can help show what happened before and during a crash, but it does not guarantee that an insurance claim will be approved. Saving the original recording and completing the required accident-reporting process can become important when accounts of a collision differ.
Dashcam footage can provide South African insurers with a visual record of a collision, particularly when drivers give conflicting accounts of what happened. However, motorists should not assume that installing a camera guarantees an approved insurance claim or a lower premium. According to King Price, footage can be submitted as supporting evidence and considered when assessing an incident, while claim approval still depends on the circumstances and policy terms.
Footage can record details that may become important after a collision, such as vehicle positions, traffic signals, number plates and the sequence of events before impact. A front-and-rear camera or a unit with a parking function can also record incidents involving a parked vehicle, provided the relevant area is visible, and the recording has been saved. Motorists who buy a dashcam for insurance purposes should check that the date and time are correct, the camera has an unobstructed view and recorded files can be retrieved when required.
Video evidence does not replace the normal steps required after a road accident. The South African Police Service indicates that an official Accident Report form must be completed for road accidents on public roads involving a vehicle, with an official reference number issued to the person reporting the accident. Section 61 of the National Road Traffic Act requires an accident involving death or injury to be reported as soon as reasonably practicable and within 24 hours if it was not already reported to a police or traffic officer at the scene, while other accidents must be reported by the first working day.
Drivers should also preserve footage before a dashcam’s loop-recording function overwrites the relevant clip. The original recording should be retained without editing, with a separate copy stored elsewhere, while photographs of vehicle damage, the road and other relevant details can provide further evidence. Insurers can consider dashcam footage alongside statements, damage assessments and other information when deciding a claim, which means a recording can also count against the policyholder if it shows conduct relevant to the collision.
Publishing dashcam recordings online raises a separate privacy issue. The Protection of Personal Information Act regulates the processing of personal information, although it specifically excludes processing conducted in the course of a purely personal or household activity. Whether POPIA applies to the wider distribution of a particular recording depends on the circumstances, which makes sharing identifiable footage publicly a different consideration from retaining a private recording for an insurer or accident report.
A dashcam can therefore provide valuable evidence after a collision, particularly where there are no independent witnesses or the circumstances are disputed. Its value depends on whether the camera captured the relevant event, whether the recording can be retrieved and whether the footage supports the account given to the insurer. It remains supporting evidence, not a substitute for accident reporting requirements or the insurer’s assessment of the claim.
Lynette Spencer
Naomi Roebert
Mariana Balt
Liz Thorne
