I’ve said it for years. The police have them for a great reason and you should too — cameras that record what happens in front of your car, behind your car and in your car. It’s not just in case of an accident. Road rage incidents are on the rise, especially when guns are involved.
Imagine if this happened to you. An Oklahoma City driver laid on his horn when an SUV started drifting in his lane. Things escalated quickly. The SUV swerved to block the man pressing on his horn. The SUV driver then pulled a gun and shot the driver in the other car.
Thankfully, the victim made a full recovery and his dashboard camera recorded it all. Police quickly identified and arrested the gunman in the SUV and justice was served.
Dashcams can undoubtedly save lives, but does everybody need one? The Wall Street Journal (paywall link) wrote up the pros and cons of dashcams and we’ve got more details. Plus, we did the research and present you with our recommendations of the best devices.
The good
Let’s start with the obvious: The ability to record footage. If you’re in an accident and not at fault, it’s easier to prove if you have it all caught on tape. It also helps record criminal activity.
Better dashcams can automatically detect crashes and send out an emergency response on your behalf. Others make a beeping noise if you stray from your lane. Nice upgrade for an older car.
Newer cameras have motion detectors and monitor the interior of your car. They’ll detect a break-in and sound an alarm to scare burglars away. And once again, they record the whole thing.
The bad
Privacy is concern No. 1 since the devices store footage on the manufacturer’s cloud. It’s sometimes unclear what companies do with your footage. Pay attention to your user agreement and opt out of anything you can, like third-party sharing.
Cheapo dashcams are easy to install — if you don’t mind a cord dangling around. You might need a professional’s help to install it in the fuse box. Good news, only a few models can be hardwired.
On a budget? There’s a chance you’ll have to pay extra to store footage on the cloud or access info from your smartphone.
The last downside? Judges can now request dashcam footage, which could be used against you in court. It’s great when someone else is at fault, but …
Our expert dashcam recommendations
If you’ve decided adding a dashboard camera is right for you, check these out. These are the top-of-the-line options. This is one time in life you don’t want to cheap out.
- Nextbase 622GW ($346): Intuitive controls and shoots in stunning 4K video. It’s got Alexa, image stabilization (when roads are bumpy) and night vision built it.
- Nexar Pro ($249.95): This slick dual-camera records video inside and outside your car. It has GPS data tracking and will alert you if someone tries to break into your vehicle. It records in HD even at night and auto-records short clips if you slam on the brakes or collide with something.
- Thinkware X1000 ($299.99): If you’re looking for a no-nonsense setup, this cam has you covered. It has a large, user-friendly touchscreen and a crisp camera. It’s got a 3.5″ touch screen, night vision, front and rear cams, and records in 2K.
All of these check our important boxes. You want a dashcam that comes with the mount, records in high-def (at least 1080p), has night vision built in, has an app you can use to check footage, a wide angle lens and built-in GPS.
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