New survey results show.

Almost three quarters of Australian drivers believe dash cams should be mandatory, according to a new survey conducted by Smith’s Lawyers. The survey of 2,000 drivers found 38% believe dash cams should be fitted on all vehicles, while a further 34% think they should be a compulsory feature on all new vehicles.

Smith’s Lawyers principal, Greg Smith said the support for mandatory dash cams comes from the belief that the footage captured can protect drivers.

“Dash cams can help when it comes to providing evidence to insurers as to who may be at fault in a crash, but perhaps more importantly, the footage can help in police and legal matters. At Smith’s Lawyers, we have used dash cam evidence to help prove liability but this is not always the case. It depends how much of the scene is captured and also if the footage contains any evidence of the lead up to the crash. It’s very much a case by case basis,” he said.

Almost half (45%) of drivers aged 18 to 24 were in favour of mandatory dash cams making them the most supportive age group – but those immediately above (aged 25 to 34) were the most against, with 38% saying no. Older drivers aged 65 and above were the strongest supporters of dash cams being mandatory on all new vehicles (40%).

Uniden iGO CAM 80 dash cam

Smith said it would take a legislative change to see more dash cams in market. “Some new vehicles are being released with a feature that allows side mirrors to record footage, but unless there is a change in law, it is unlikely all manufacturers will begin including dash cams as a regular feature.”

While only 26% of Australian drivers currently own or use a dash cam, another 45% said they would like to, showing overwhelming support for the technology.

In response to the survey results, Uniden national marketing and communications manager, Brad Hales told Appliance Retailer, “The dash cam category has been growing from strength to strength in the last few years and Uniden has seen massive growth in the past 12 months. The dash cam has become an essential accessory for the car to protect your version of events on the road.

“Gone are the days where it is your word against the other driver whereby you can now just email the insurance company your video footage of the accident. Dash cam video is so clear now and especially with our range which has up to 4K video recording which can easily identify license plates in day and night.”