Benefits of Utilizing a Motorcycle Camera
Motorcycle riders have the option of purchasing affordable, small, high-quality cameras that they can mount to their motorcycles or on their helmets. Many riders have taken to using small cameras like those manufactured by GoPro to record their rides for the purposes of watching rides again, remembering favorite routes, and sharing rides to social media.
Using a motorcycle camera whenever you ride can have added practical benefits as well. If you end up being involved in a motorcycle accident, having a camera recording during the accident can provide you with definitive proof of what occurred during the accident and help you prove who was at fault for the accident.
Motorcycle Helmet Camera Laws in Georgia
In Georgia, motorcycle helmet standards are governed according to U.S. Department of Transportation standards. The federal regulations governing permissible motorcycle helmets do not directly address helmet cameras.
However, the regulations do prohibit rigid projections outside a helmet’s shell or making modifications to the helmet once received from the manufacturer. As a result, permanently modifying a motorcycle helmet to mount a helmet camera would likely be illegal. Therefore, you should avoid using screws or drilling holes into the helmet shell to permanently affix a helmet camera. Doing so can affect the structural integrity of your helmet, which is prohibited by the federal regulations and puts you at serious risk for injury in the event of an accident.
Mounting a camera to your motorcycle helmet through non-permanent means, such as suction cups or adhesives, falls into a legal gray area. Although there is no law that expressly prohibits riders from mounting cameras to their helmets in such a way, law enforcement officers have been known to pull over motorcycle riders and request they remove helmet cameras under the concern that the camera can fly off and strike another vehicle or pedestrian or become dangerous debris on the road.
Differences Between Helmet Cameras and Dashcams
A helmet camera is a camera mounted on a motorcycle rider’s helmet. On the other hand, a dashcam is a camera mounted to a vehicle’s dashboard area or near the dashboard area. The primary difference between a helmet camera and a motorcycle’s dashcam is that a helmet camera is typically mounted facing forward, captures whatever the rider is looking that.
However, a dashcam only faces forward out from the windscreen or windshield. In addition, dashcams may or may not record audio, while a helmet camera (usually a repurposed recording device such as a GoPro) will be more likely to record audio.
Benefits of Using a Camera While Riding Your Motorcycle
Using a helmet camera or dashcam each time you ride your motorcycle can have multiple personal, safety-related, and legal benefits. Recording each of your rides will allow you to watch the footage to notice and appreciate scenic details. You may have missed these details while concentrating on the road. Capturing video will also allow you to share it on social media, where you can connect with other riders and learn of new places to ride.
Recording each of your rides will also allow you to improve your riding skills. Watching your footage from a motorcycle camera will allow you to notice aspects of your riding that you may wish to improve upon. If you take motorcycle instruction or safety classes, you can also show your video to your instructor who may also identify aspects of your riding ability that you should improve.
Using a camera during each of your rides could have financial and legal benefits as well. Some insurance companies offer lower premiums to riders who record each of their rides with a helmet cam or dashcam because the footage gives the insurance company critical evidence in the event of an accident claim. Also, using a camera tends to make riders operate their motorcycles in a safer manner, knowing they are recording themselves.
Recording each of your rides will allow you to legally protect yourself in the event of an accident. Helmet cam or dashcam footage can be used to show that the other motorist was at fault for your accident. Many cameras also record audio, so you can capture any conversations or verbal altercations you have with another motorist following an accident.
Can My Helmet Camera or GoPro Footage Be Used in Court?
If you have a motorcycle helmet camera, GoPro, or dashcam recording, you can likely use it in court in the event you have a legal claim following a motorcycle accident. Many motorcycle accident cases end up becoming your word against the other motorist’s word. But a recording can serve as clear evidence of what occurred in the motorcycle accident.
Georgia is considered a “one-party consent” state, meaning that only one party in an audio or video recording needs to consent to the recording. When you record a video of yourself and someone else, you can provide the legally required consent for the recording.
If you get into an accident with another motorist and continue recording your conversation, you may wish to consider letting the other driver know that your helmet camera or dashcam is recording. In addition, if you are located on private property, you may also want to consider turning your camera off.
When to Reach Out to a Canton Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident in Canton, you should reach out to a motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible. Speaking with an attorney as soon as possible after your accident will give him or her ample opportunity to conduct a thorough investigation of your accident, which will allow your attorney to secure the evidence needed to build a strong, persuasive legal claim.
You may also be contacted by insurance companies soon after your accident. An attorney can communicate with the insurance adjusters on your behalf and ensure that your rights and interests are protected. Your attorney can also begin aggressively negotiating with the insurance company to seek a full and fair settlement of your damages.
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact the Canton motorcycle accident lawyers of Geiger Legal Group today to schedule a free consultation to discuss the details of your case and learn more about your rights and options for seeking monetary compensation.
