When cars and bicyclists get into accidents, drivers often blame the cyclists. However, many studies have shown that the cyclists don’t usually cause these dangerous situations. While cyclists can cause accidents, drivers are at fault over half the time.
If you ride a bike to work every day around lots of cars and trucks, reckless drivers can injure you. Even cautious cyclists have to watch out for negligent drivers.
So what can you do to protect yourself in case a driver causes you to get in an accident? How do you prove that you were the victim and make sure the driver compensates you appropriately? You ride with a helmet cam.
How Can a Helmet Cam Help Your Case?
Everyone points fingers after an accident. No one wants to admit blame, so the authorities end up hearing conflicting stories about what happened.
Unless you have an independent witness, it’s just your word against the driver’s. And there’s no guarantee the police and courts will believe you over the other person. What you need is definitive proof. This is where a helmet cam comes in.
Solid Evidence
Helmet cams offer an objective view of how the accident happened. This gives the authorities solid evidence to work from when they’re deciding who was at fault in a car-bicycle accident.
Serious Claims
The authorities don’t always take cyclist claims seriously, especially if you weren’t injured in the accident. However, if your property was damaged, the driver should still have to pay for the repairs or replacement.
Video footage from a helmet cam gives the police a compelling reason to investigate your claims, and you’ll have an easier time getting compensation from the responsible party.
Reliable Memory
Especially after severe accidents and stressful situations your memory of the event can easily become muddled. You might have a hard time remembering exactly what happened and telling the police about it.
Your helmet cam can take the place of your memory. The footage might also help you and the authorities identify potential witnesses who can give additional information about what happened.
Discouraged Drivers
Helmet cams don’t just back up your story after you’ve been in an accident. Sometimes cams can stop accidents from happening altogether.
When you’re riding around with a camera clearly visible on your helmet, drivers might be less inclined to behave recklessly around you. They know your camera will record a video of whatever they do, and they don’t want to risk you prosecuting them.
Road rage is a common cause of accidents between cars and bicycles. The camera on your helmet can encourage the drivers around you to calm down and rationally deal with their emotions.
Helpful Cyclists
Cyclists who wear helmet cams and post the footage online can help other cyclists learn how to ride safely.
The Internet is full of video footage from cyclists’ helmet cams. Many of the videos document accidents or angry incidents between cyclists and drivers.
These videos can be helpful to other cyclists who want to know what kind of hazards they should avoid. They can also see how cyclists in the videos handle conflicts with drivers and apply what they learn to their own riding habits.
What Are the Downsides of Helmet Cams?
While helmet cams can do a lot of good, they do have their disadvantages. You’ll have a more positive experience with your helmet cam if you know the most common problems and what you can do about them.
Forgetting to Turn the Cam On/Off
Your camera won’t do you any good if it’s turned off while you’re riding. Since most cams stay attached to your helmet at all times, you might find yourself forgetting to turn it on when you head out the door. Similarly, you might forget to turn the camera off at the en d of your ride.
To fix both these problems, you need to establish a routine and double check your actions. Have a mental checklist of the things you need to do before leaving the house and make it a habit to go through them.
You can also leave yourself a reminder note if you still have trouble remembering.
Keeping the Battery Charged
Most helmet cam batteries last about 90 minutes. This should give you plenty of time for your commute, unless you go on particularly long rides. However, if you don’t regularly charge the battery, your cam could die just when you need it most.
Take your helmet inside with you after every ride and make sure the cam’s battery has enough power for your next outing.
Adjusting to Extra Helmet Weight
Cams can make your helmet feel heavier. You might find this annoying at first, but if you give it some time, you will get used to it.
If you really can’t stand the way your helmet feels, try exchanging your cam for a smaller model. There are bullet-style cameras you can attach to the side of your helmet. This means you don’t have to live with a larger camera on top of your helmet if you don’t like how it feels.
Helmet cams back up your story if you’re involved in an accident with a car. You don’t want to be stuck with a serious injury and no compensation from the driver responsible. Use your helmet cam every time you ride, and you’ll have easy evidence of any incidents.
Kevin Blair &
Graham Taylor
Taylor & Blair LLP
Personal Injury lawyers
1607 – 805 West Broadway
Vancouver, B.C.