Are Dashcams Legal in Colorado?

Dashboard cameras provide solid evidence that you can use to support your automobile accident claim. These devices are legal in Colorado and many motorists install them on their vehicles to protect themselves against auto accident fraud and any claims made against them in a motor vehicle accident in Boulder.

Legality in Colorado

Colorado statutes allow individuals to mount “dash cams” on their windshield provided they don’t obstruct the driver’s view of the road. The cameras must also not reflect glare or cause distraction to oncoming motorists. This means they cannot be mirrored or metallic in appearance. Further, Colorado is a one-party consent state which means that individuals who record their driving do not violate wiretapping laws.

Drivers should be aware that while dashboard cameras are legal in Colorado, they’re not legal in many other states. When driving in a state where individuals are required to obtain consent to record, individuals must disable the device and adhere to local laws even though they have a Colorado tagged vehicle.

Advantages of Dashboard Cameras

Most dashboard cameras cost less than $100. This makes them inexpensive and easy to install. They’re akin to miniature insurance policies that often show who is responsible for causing a collision and the events that occurred during the accident. These recordings are admissible as evidence when pursuing an auto accident claims. More often than not, these recordings bolster the credibility of eyewitness testimony, forensic analysis, and police reports.

Disadvantages of Dashboard Cameras

One of the primary disadvantages of dashboard cameras in Colorado is that the state follows a doctrine of modified comparative negligence. If the court decides that any of your actions contributed to causing the motor vehicle accident in Boulder, your damage award can be reduced by the percentage the court finds you responsible. If you have a dashboard camera and choose not to enter the recording as evidence, it’s likely that the opposing counsel will subpoena the recording in an effort to establish that their client isn’t solely responsible for the crash. Moreover, dashboard cameras are of little value in rear impact or side-impact accidents.

We invite you to contact Sloat, Nicholson & Hoover, P.C. at (303) 447-1144 for more information about dashboard cameras in Colorado. It’s our pleasure to tell you how to use these devices to protect yourself and your family from auto accident fraud and motor vehicle accident claims.