Benefits of a Dash Cam and How to Install One
One of the most popular features in new cars is the dash cam. Almost every new model of vehicle and many industrial pieces of equipment are now coming with a factory camera installed on the dash- along with a ton of other tech that we won’t touch on here, but I cover extensively in another post.
In this post I’m going to tell you why dash cams are so popular and the reasons you should have one installed in every vehicle you own. After covering that, I’m going to show you how to install a dash cam in your car at home and where you can buy one if you haven’t already.
Why has buying dash cams become so popular?
Well, first look at this beautiful dash cam with advanced features, 4K and the ridiculously affordable price. That’s a start. Once I show you how to install a dash cam properly, the Vantrue N4 is going to make a great on-board recording system for your car, truck or even industrial equipment or fleet of existing vehicles.
Consider this- if you have ten vehicles in your fleet of cars, trucks, vans, garbage truck, loaders or whatever else- you can install a dash cam in each one for around $2,000 total. With damage and liability claims in vehicle accidents rising rapidly in 2022 why wouldn’t you protect your business with a dash cam? There is no more solid evidence in a court case than a video, and on-board recording systems offer that evidence if you were to be sued for damages or injury liability in a car accident.
It’s not hard to see why dash cams are so popular in 2022. The benefits of having a camera on your dash that records all of your driving activities are enormous. Just some of the things sparking a rise in popularity of dash cam purchases and installations are the following.
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Price of a quality dash cam is lower than ever.
There was a time when buying and installing a dash cam was not practical for the typical vehicle owner. Priced at $500-1000, average drivers were not able to afford the price of a dash cam plus the added cost of installation. That was before technology and increased competition for market share birthed cheaper, high-quality dash cameras.
Selling on Amazon for as little as $40 for an entry model, dash cameras are affordable now for even the Hyundai owners of the world. These $40 units are cheap, lower resolution dash cams that offer very limited features and storage but they record and are easy to install.
For a couple hundred dollars, you can buy a higher resolution dash cam with multiple features. These higher-end dash cameras are still very affordable due to Amazon’s selection of cheap but high-quality dash cams.
Rove R3 is a Cheap, High-Quality Dash Camera
Seriously, for $300 you can buy the Rove R3 3-inch Dash Cam with front and rear-facing cameras and touch screen display. As the picture of the Rove R3 shows, this camera is also smartphone compatible to go along with all of its other feature.In all actuality, the Rove R3 isn’t just a dash cam it is an entire camera system for your car.
The reviews on it are excellent and some of its features include 5.0 GHz Wi-Fi, 24 hour parking mode, Built-in GPS and a potential resolution up to 2160p. It’s honestly the best dash cam I’ve found on Amazon. With these features in the Rove R3 and the cheap price on Amazon- how could you not protect yourself and your property with this dash cam?
If you buy the Rove R3 from the link I’m giving you I will make probably three bucks. You won’t pay a dollar more for the Rove R3 either way. But go ahead and look at the thing yourself and you will see that’s not why I recommend the Rove 3 dash cam versus other models. I recommend the Rove R3 because it’s the best deal on a dash cam I’ve found online.
Easy Installation is a huge benefit to buying a dash cam.
Being able to install the dash cam right at home is another reason the devices have become so popular. Dash cams do not require the help of a trained auto tech with wiring experience to install. In 2023, one of the biggest benefits of buying a dash cam is the easy installation.
Dealerships will fleece customers any chance they get and dash cam installation is no exception. Why have a dealership or even an Indy shop put in your dash cam when you, your husband, brother or an 18 year old kid can do it for next to nothing? Dash cam installations are 100% a DIY job.
If you can follow directions, you can install a dash cam in your personal car. The cost savings of putting your own dash cam in is huge. This is a major reason more people are buying dash cams in 2022.
Safety and Liability is a Major Reason to Buy a Dash Cam
According to statistics, 90% of all driving accidents are caused by human error. You’re a human. I am a human. The guy driving toward you at 65 on the freeway is also a human.
Car accidents happen and unfortunately, the results can be catastrophic in the way of damages with the average damage claim for auto accidents over forty thousand dollars. Not only are damage claims high but lawsuits and personal injury claims in car accidents average almost twenty thousand dollars. It pays to protect yourself from lawsuits, especially in a litigation friendly society the auto insurance companies have created heading into 2023.
In these scenarios, the benefit of a dash cam is as important as the black box in an aircraft. Having a dash cam provides indisputable evidence in the event that an accident happens and someone tries to sue you.
In a world where ambulance chasers are waiting at every corner, protection from this type of litigation is invaluable. Dash cams offer drivers this protection and that’s why they are popular.
Protection from the police is a reason to buy a dash cam.
I am obviously pro-police and have the utmost respect for law enforcement but I have been around long enough to know there are some bad apples. LEO are also humans that make mistakes and if you don’t protect yourself, that mistake could result in expensive citations or worse.
Just about every law enforcement agency and first responder in general is equipped with a recording device. Whether it be a body cam or dash cam, police officers are protecting themselves in 2023 and drivers should as well. The reason police officers have dash cams is to free them of liability or worse, indictment.
With the addition of rear facing cameras in vehicles, you can make sure you are never wrongly accused again.
Vandalism and theft are a good reason to buy a dash cam.
Crime rates are up across the country, despite what some might say. In my home state of NY, this is in large part due to a bail reform that releases criminals back to the streets. So the risk of your car being vandalized or your property stolen in 2023 is as high as it’s ever been.
Having a vehicle security system that records video like a dash cam can offer you protection from thieves that want to steal your hard earned money. Dash cams like the Rove R3 offer video surveillance from multiple angles in your car or truck.
Capturing nature while driving is a reason to buy a dash cam.
Another, less publicized benefit of buying a dash cam to install in your vehicle is capturing beautiful scenes and nature while you drive.
How many times have you been driving down the highway, saw something beautiful and picture worthy but missed it because of course you were driving? With a dash cam, you get to revisit the best sunsets, shooting stars, wildlife and much more.
Just Google a compilation of dash cam videos out there and you will see some of the crazy, beautiful and insane footage taken from the driver seat of a car.
What about a Dash Cam for my Motorcycle, ATV or UTV?
Some of the best footage captured on a dash cam comes from the driver seat of a motorcycle, ATV or RTV. Luckily in 2023, there are several water-resistant dash cams out there made for motorcycles, snowmobiles, four-wheelers and dirt bikes. Because of this, it’s not just as easy to buy a dash cam for your motorcycle as it is to buy one for your car.
After some research, I concluded that the best deal on a dash cam for motorcycles, four-wheelers and even boats is the BlueSky DV988 with a rugged 4-inch touchscreen. It was between this one and the “Thinkware M1 model for sportsbikes. After reading some poor reviews on Amazon and a higher price tag, I decided the Blue Sky was a better option for the money. You can find that right underneath this paragraph.
Having the added feature of being water-resistant, the BlueSky DV988 is a perfect dash cam for boats, motorcycles, snowmobiles and other recreational vehicles. Coming in under $200, I’m confident you won’t regret buying this dash cam for the next trip out on the boat or your next sled-ride through the mountains.
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How to Install a Dash Cam
As I mentioned, one reason dash cams have become so popular is they are easy to install. With the ease of installation and the benefits of buying one, why wouldn’t you learn how to put a dash cam in your car?
Follow along as I give you a tutorial on dash cam installation so you can be protected the next time a situation pops up that may put you in the way of liability.
Dash Cam Installation Directions
Step 1: Choosing the right dash cam for your car.
The first step to putting a dash cam in your car is actually choosing the one you want. There are a couple different mounting styles of dash cam on the market and each one is going to be installed different.
Suction Cup mounted dash cameras
Many of the dash cameras on the market are mounted using a suction cup. It’s an easy, hassle free way to mount your camera but it has the downside of being the least secure.
Adhesive mounted dash cameras
Another option to mount your dash cam is with adhesive tape like the two-sided tape made by 3M. This double sided tape is usually more secure on the windshield but it’s also more permanent. If you have to, the double sided tape can be removed but it’s not going to be as easy as the suction cup style and it will require a little more cleanup. Still very much a good option.
Where to mount your dash cam?
Once you choose which style of dash cam to buy, it’s time to figure out where to mount the dash cam.
It’s important that your camera does not interfere with the field of view in the windshield. Doing so negates any safety benefits of using a dash cam in the first place.
The location of your dash cam should be in a place that provides as much coverage as possible without hindering the view of the driver. Here are some options.
Center of the windshield, close to the dash.
Mounting your dash cam low in the center of the windshield has the benefit of giving the driver the least amount of obstruction.
With that benefit comes a lesser amount of video coverage though due to the low point of the camera. It’s still beneficial to install your dash cam lower on the windshield, especially in smaller cars with shorter windshields.
High in the center of the windshield
If you can manage it without impeding your vision, the best place to mount a dash cam is high in the center of the windshield. This is because it allows for a much wider range of coverage of the road in front of and on the sides of your vehicle.
Newer model dash cams offer great coverage regardless but strategically placing your unit can increase the view. In fact, you wouldn’t believe some of the features offered from dash cams in ‘22.
Some dashcam features in 2022 include:
Dual-View Recording
Many of the dash cameras available to buy offer a dual view experience. That is, the camera simultaneously records the road in front of you but also records what’s happening inside the car.
Night Vision
Although night vision has been a feature in dash cams for some time, it deserves a mention. Being able to record what’s happening around your vehicle in pitch dark conditions is invaluable.
Say goodbye to those thief’s that prowl the night, knowing that it’s too dark to be seen. Night vision technology makes almost every recording device show sometimes stunning detail at night.
1080P Recording
This should go without saying, but almost every new dash cam comes in 1080p and there are a number offering 1440p recording. It’s no longer a mystery what you see on the dash cam. It’s crystal clear, just like your favorite TV show.
360 Degree Recording
Although 360 degree recording will require a second camera mounted somewhere on the rear of the vehicle- it could be incredibly handy.
Related to the 360 degree technology, many new cameras offer motion detection and night vision to detect activity near your vehicle. With a rise in thefts and break-ins all over the Country this can only be seen as a benefit.
Wi-Fi Connected Dashcams
Many of the new dash cams on the market are Wi-Fi capable, uploading new video to the cloud so a driver never has to worry about losing his or her data.
Whether the vehicle itself has Wi-Fi or the data uploads at home, you can be sure the video recordings are safe, sound and accessible.
Smartphone Compatible
Just like most type of security cameras in 2022 such as the door bell camera, dash cams are smartphone compatible. That is, they sync to an app and stream directly to your Android or iPhone.
Options like motion-detection secure your vehicle from potential thieves and burglars. The minute your dash cam detects motion it will send a notification to your phone.
Features are important when choosing your dash cam.
These features offered in dash cams are important in choosing the right one for you. Once the choice has been made though and you know which dash cam is worth your money- it’s time to focus on finishing the install.
How to Wire a Dash Cam in Your Car, Truck or Equipment
In most cases, wiring a dash cam is literally as simple as plugging it into the accessory power port– or “cigarette lighter” as they used to call it. Some dash cams though do require you to hardwire the camera to the vehicles battery.
Since most of you can figure out how to plug something into the power port in your car, I’m going to focus on how to hardwire the dash cam if that’s the only option or it’s the one you prefer.
Step 1: Figure out when you want power to the dash camera.
Only with the vehicle running or the key turned to accessory.
If you only want the dash camera to come on when the key is on in your vehicle, it may be best to use what’s called a “fuse tap”. This little fuse holder allows you to plug the prongs into an accessory fuse and add a circuit.
After you hook the dash cam power wire to the red wire, crimp it and then find an accessory fuse. By that I mean something that only energized when the vehicles key is on.
Power to the dash cam always.
If you want continuous power to the camera, you can use the same method to wire the dash cam but choose a fuse that always has power on it.
An easy way to check this is with a ten dollar test light. Watch this video on checking for power to the fuses to help you understand. It’s important either way that you don’t hack the wiring or splice into components.
Ground the dash cam to the battery.
If you choose to hardwire the dash cam in your car, truck or piece of equipment- there will be another step. You can not just add power to a circuit and voila the dash cam works.
For any electrical circuit to work, it must have power and it must have ground. Without one or the other, you will be asking why your dash cam does not work.
So go to the auto parts store, ask them for a heavy duty eyelet and explain to them it is to ground a dash cam. Usually the auto parts will be able to assist. If not, here you go. Thank me later.
Start recording with your new dash cam.
When I told you how easy it is to install a dash cam I’m sure many of you didn’t believe me. The truth is though it probably took you longer to read this post than it would take to hook up a dash cam. Do yourself a favor and buy a dash cam, even if it isn’t top of the line.