Back-Up Cameras And Your Car Accident Claim

Since 2018, federal law has required all new cars to be equipped with rear-facing cameras, and before then, they were an optional upgrade feature on many vehicles.  Some drivers of older vehicles choose to install rear-facing cameras to cars that did not have these cameras when the owners bought them.  After-market rear-facing cameras are commercially available.  Popular models of rear-facing cameras include the HCE-1100 and the AUTO-VOX TWI; the latter camera is fully wireless.  Drivers can also install back-up cameras on their trucks, SUVs, and RVs; for large vehicles that also drive off-road, it is best to have a camera on each wheel.  Even though rear-facing cameras are effective at preventing collisions, more than 12,000 people per year get injured in collisions where the at-fault driver was backing up their vehicle.  Likewise, you are more likely to cause a collision if your back-up camera is not properly installed.  If you have been injured in a car accident where one of the drivers was backing up their vehicle, contact a Columbia car accident lawyer.

Retro Isn’t Cool When It Comes to Vehicle Safety

If your car does not have a rear-facing camera, you should get one.  If you were driving a car that conforms to current safety standards, this can only strengthen your position when it comes to determining liability for a car accident.  South Carolina is a comparative negligence state, so this means that the insurance company assigns each driver a percentage of the fault for the accident.  Old school cars may look cool, but you could be liable if the passengers in your car get more seriously injured than they would have if you had been driving a newer, safer car.

You can buy a back-up camera for several hundred dollars, and having it professionally installed can cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000.  This is the best option if your goal is to avoid taking out a new auto loan at all costs.  If not, it is simpler to trade in your car for a newer model that already has a rear-facing camera.

What Happens If the Driver That Hit You Had an After Market Rear-Facing Camera?

If the driver who backed into your car had an old car with an after-market rear-facing camera, that camera could affect the outcome of your car accident insurance claim.  If the camera was not properly installed, then this is the driver’s or car owner’s responsibility.  In other words, it would decrease your share of fault for the accident and increase the amount of money you could get from the insurance company for your car accident claim.

Let Us Help You Today

The car accident lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you get a fair settlement from the insurance company if you were injured in a collision where a driver with an improperly installed rear-facing camera backed into your car.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.

Source:

4autoinsurancequote.com/best-backup-cameras/