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In the past three years, nearly 55,000 dashcam videos purporting to show dangerous driving have been sent to law enforcement agencies across the country by road users.
Established in 2018, the National Dash Cam Safety Portal (NDSP) allows motorists to upload incriminating footage captured on dash cams directly to police for use as evidence for convictions.
The number of clips from dash cams and helmet cameras sent to police by drivers, cyclists and motorcyclists who they believe others are breaking the law has increased by a whopping 185 percent since 2020.
We exclusively reveal below which agents received the most over the 36-month period.
Shopped by your fellow motorist: As many as 55,000 clips of potentially dangerous driving have been uploaded to a police database over the past three years as more people inform other road users, a report says
According to the latest estimates, about one in six (18 percent) of all drivers on the road have a dash cam installed.
It means that a growing number of road users collect images of violations of the law that can be punished afterwards.
The NDSP is using the clips to crack down on dangerous drivers by providing a quick and easy way to provide evidence that can be used to prosecute offenders.
The database – set up by dash cam manufacturer, Nextbase – has a simple upload system that allows users to submit their videos, along with a short description of the event captured, additional photos and a supporting online questionnaire, which takes about 15 minutes in total to complete. to fill .
Any video footage generated by the public can be used to address a variety of offenses including dangerous driving, careless driving, solid white line violations, cell phone use, improper control of the vehicle and violation of red traffic lights. However, it cannot be used for speeding tickets.
Footage can be used as eyewitness testimony if police proceed to punish a driver caught on camera, meaning officers don’t have to spend time looking for evidence.
One police force received 14,000 videos in three months
Reports from last year claimed that 70 percent of the videos submitted resulted in punishments for offenders ranging from warning letters to convictions and driving bans.
The database is also said to have saved nearly half a million hours of officer time collecting evidence and compiling supporting eyewitness testimony in its first four years of operation.
Almost all police forces in the UK now use the database, with some receiving more footage than others.
Most of the uploads were received by Northumbria Police, with more than 14,000 clips of dangerous driving between 2020 and 2022, says Go.Compare Car Insurance.
This is followed by West Midlands Police, who received nearly 12,500 reports of car crime.
For most regions, the number of dash cam image uploads has gradually increased since 2020.
But some forces, including Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire Police, received the highest number of dash cam uploads in 2021, the figures show.
The comparison website says the number of videos submitted by road users is set to rise as more people use camera technology when on the road.
Dashcams and helmet cameras are not only a solution for capturing dangerous motorists, but could also provide extra protection for motorists and cyclists and could reduce insurance premiums.
According to a survey of 2,000 motorists, 91 percent of dash cam owners think they should be a standard piece of safety equipment in new vehicles, and 82 percent who don’t already have one said they will have one fitted if their car insurance costs .
Publicly generated video can also be used to address careless and attentive driving, solid white line and red light violations, and illegal cell phone use
Ryan Fulthorpe, car expert at Go.Compare, said: ‘Dashcams not only provide safety in the event of a road accident, but can help prevent them by encouraging motorists to drive more safely.
“The images are especially useful when handling insurance claims, making them popular with many providers.
“If you decide to purchase a dash cam, make sure it is set up correctly so that it captures reliable and clear footage.
“Remove anything that might obstruct the view and test the video settings when you first install it. Then keep checking regularly whether it works and records properly.’
Bryn Brooker, head of road safety at Nextbase, advises motorists what to do if they have dashcam footage of an accident or incident they were involved in.
“The first thing to do in the event of an accident or incident is to follow proper procedures to ensure everyone is safe and cared for, and to comply with any police requests.
‘After that it depends on the seriousness of the accident.
‘For minor collisions and accidents where there may be no apparent fault, you can upload your dashcam footage to the Nextbase website, which helps with overall road safety and awareness.
“For more serious accidents, you can upload it to the National Dash Cam Safety Portal, which will send your footage directly to the appropriate police so they can take appropriate action.”
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