One of the fastest growing imagery products not only in terms of sales, but also in the awareness of consumers, is car dashboard mounted cameras or dashcams
If you visit YouTube and other video sites you will see collisions and near misses recorded by the dashcams of drivers either witnessing or directly involved in these incidents.
Not every car accident is as dramatic as some you might see in those videos, although for the drivers involved that doesn’t make them any less stressful or traumatic. This only increases when the issue of insurance needs to be addressed and the thorny issue of who was to blame is raised.
The Blame Game
Unfortunately, for an innocent driver, there is nothing to stop the other party claiming it wasn’t their fault and raising a counter claim. If the stress of the accident wasn’t enough, imagine having to prove you are not the guilty party, especially if you have no evidence or witnesses.
The rise of ‘no fee’ compensation claim companies has also left many drivers facing a scenario where they are conned into paying compensation for what was a staged accident. This is perpetrated using another car or a motorbike which the scammer uses to deliberately cause a collision in such a way that it appears the innocent driver is at fault.
Another widespread con is a pedestrian who jumps on to the bonnet of a car as it slows down and then claims the driver hit them. The crazier ones simply lie on the road surface and claim they were knocked down. No matter how comical these con artists can appear in dashcam videos, it would be no laughing matter for the driver targeted if they didn’t have this footage to prove their innocence.
Innocent Drivers Hit Hard…Twice!
Statistics show that 25% of drivers who cannot provide any evidence to clear their name, end up with either points on their licence, increased insurance premiums, paying out compensation or even suffering a driving ban. Drivers who had the foresight to install a dashcam in their car, can show both the police and their insurance company the undeniable evidence they are the innocent party and so face none of the unfair consequences.
As more and more dashcam videos of car accidents and insurance scams are seen, motorists are realising that they too could be a victim. In ever increasing numbers they are taking the wise step to buy and install dashcams in their vehicles to protect them in the event of a real or staged accident.
650% Sales Growth Over Two Years
There has been a phenomenal growth in dashcam sales over the past two years with a recent survey by retail analysts GFK showing an increase of over 650% in that time. With the ever-increasing publicity of drivers being proved to be the innocent party thanks to having a dashcam in their car, that figure is likely to soar even higher. This is boosted further by commercial sales to businesses which employ drivers and who want to protect both their employees and the company against spurious claims.
Many insurance companies are also contributing to the massive rise in dashcam sales by offering discounts on car insurance premiums for those customers who have them installed. These discounts can be as high as 20% which, for many drivers, can be more than the cost of their dashcam in the first place, so it is a huge incentive to buy one.
Car Manufacturers Leave The Marketplace Wide Open
There have been fears raised about privacy issues and whether recording others involved in accidents without their permission is a breach of privacy law, but these concerns have been dismissed. UK law makes it clear that dashcams are not intended to invade anyone’s privacy and in addition there can be “no reasonable expectation of privacy” for an individual using public roads.
This is also the case in most European countries, apart from Portugal, Belgium and Austria where privacy laws prohibit filming others using a dashcam. This disparity in privacy laws is one of the main reasons virtually all automobile manufacturers refuse to install dashcams as standard in their vehicles. This is great news for dashcam retailers and resellers as they will remain the outlets that car owners must turn to when they decide to purchase a dashcam.
To cope with the massive increase in their popularity, dashcam manufacturers are producing an increasingly impressive range of products for the market. Variations in features, quality and pricing give plenty of choice that satisfies consumers both in the segment of the market who will consider only top of the range products, and the opposite end where budget is the primary consideration. Everything in between these two groups is catered for too, so there should be a dashcam to suit the needs of every car owner who decides to buy one.
Modus Brands’ Decade of Imaging Equipment Experience
Modus Brands has over 10 years’ experience supplying quality imaging and camera equipment to resellers, retailers and mail order companies. Our extensive logistics and distribution network means we get dashcam products to you faster than our competitors and that also applies to any parts needed for repairs or warranty fulfilment.
We also support you by offering comprehensive training for your staff on all new products so they can give your own customers the best service possible. If you need help with promotional materials, sales events or product demos we will be happy to assist, and share our marketing knowledge with you to ensure that every dashcam product launch is a success for you.
