Getting traffic camera footage can help with a car accident case by providing real-time evidence of what happened. Unlike witness testimony, camera footage does not rely on human memory and is not subjected to the individual’s biases or assumptions about what happened – it is cold hard evidence.
Unfortunately, traffic camera footage in Lexington, SC is not actually recorded and saved. This means that getting footage of your accident from public traffic cameras will be nearly impossible. However, nearby cameras from private stores and homes might have captured what happened on camera, and we can ask the owners of those cameras for the footage.
For a free case assessment, reach out to the Lexington car accident lawyers at Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers by calling (803) 451-4000.
Do Traffic Cameras in Lexington, SC Record Footage?
Throughout Lexington and across South Carolina, there are traffic cameras that stream live footage of what’s happening on the road. This lets you check out the camera footage and get a gauge of traffic before starting a trip or your commute. However, these cameras do not record footage, so it is not retrievable.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation operates cameras on highways throughout the state. These cameras do not save footage, and you cannot get copies of the footage.
According to a Post and Courier article from 2023, the Town of Lexington also has its own traffic cameras that are part of a highly sophisticated system. These cameras are part of a system that uses Bluetooth receivers and AI to help time traffic lights to keep traffic moving and cut down on slowdowns and traffic jams. Other news reports about this technology emphasize that these cameras do not record and save traffic footage by default, though the footage can be saved if there is a crime involved. It appears, though, that the Lexington police do not have routine access to this, and there is simply no saved footage for most situations.
This all means that there are no public traffic cameras from which our South Carolina car accident lawyers can get you footage. However, private cameras all over town could still have footage that we can get access to.
Getting Private Security Camera Video for a Car Accident in Lexington, SC
Even though there are no public traffic cameras that save footage and provide video to car accident victims, there are thousands of other cameras in the city that could capture an accident. Security cameras are becoming more and more popular for private use, with more stores and homes installing security cameras every day. From doorbell cameras to Wi-fi security systems to traditional security camera systems, there is always a chance that your car accident was caught on camera.
Our attorneys can contact homes and stores near the scene of your accident and ask them whether they have a security camera. If they do, we can send letters asking them to preserve the video and save it so that we could potentially subpoena it later as part of your case.
In most cases, security camera footage is deleted quickly because of storage limitations. This means it is important to act fast. If you delay calling a lawyer and getting your case started, it is possible that the camera footage could be deleted in mere days. Because of this, it is vital to reach out to our attorneys and get the ball rolling on evidence collection as soon as you can after a crash.
Collecting Dashcam Footage for a Car Crash in Lexington, SC
Many drivers use dashboard cameras to protect themselves from liability and help prove car accident cases if they are ever hit. If you have a camera installed in your car, then this video will provide excellent evidence. If you did not, then there might still be a dashcam that did capture the accident, and we can try to get access to that footage as well.
If a witness stopped and told you or the police officer at the scene that they caught the accident on video, we should be able to get their contact information from the police report and ask them about the camera footage. If you are ever approached by a witness that says they saw the accident or that they caught it on camera, you should get their contact info and follow up (or have your lawyer follow up) about the camera footage in the days after the accident.
If the at-fault driver had a dashcam, we can also subpoena that video as evidence. During the discovery stage of your case, our lawyers can use the court’s subpoena power to demand that the defense turn over evidence in their possession, including any camera footage they have. While many drivers keep dashcams in their cars to protect them in case they get sued, the video evidence can cut both ways if it helps prove that they were actually at fault.
Police cars are also equipped with dashcams, and many officers have bodycams. These cameras should be on at most times, and any time a police officer is responding to an accident, their dashcam should be activated. Unless the police car’s camera was pointed at the accident when it happened, they would not have video of the crash itself. However, the dashcam might have caught evidence when the police officer arrived at the scene of the crash, and we can potentially request this footage for use in your case.
Using Cell Phone Video as Evidence in a Lexington, SC Traffic Accident
Today, most people carry around a high-quality video camera in their pocket: their cell phone. However, most people do not start recording traffic accidents until after the crash already happened. On the off chance that someone nearby was recording when the accident happened, they might have come forward to the police with the video. If they did, we can use that video as evidence as we would any other video or photos of the accident.
If you got video of the aftermath of the crash, that could also be helpful as it will show the location of the vehicles, the damage, the injuries you suffered, and who was involved in the crash. Do not dismiss cell phone video as potentially helpful evidence just because the recording started after the crash.
Call Our Lexington, SC Car Accident Attorneys Today
For help with your car accident case, call (803) 451-4000 to talk to the Columbia car accident lawyers at Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers.
