How to Obtain Traffic Camera Video of a Car Accident

Following a car accident, you might have noticed nearby traffic cameras at the scene that might have captured your collision. This footage could help to establish what happened before and during the crash, which can be important in showing the other driver’s fault. Knowing how to obtain traffic camera video of a car accident might be difficult. You’ll have to determine which entity is responsible for collecting and maintaining this footage and how long it is retained. In this situation, it’s always best to get the help of an experienced accident lawyer with the resources and knowledge necessary to collect this evidence. Scroll down to learn more.

Is It Possible to Get Traffic Camera Footage Following a Collision?

If you want to understand how to obtain traffic camera video of a car accident, it’s first important to learn how likely it might be that the footage exists.

While a traffic camera might have caught some aspect of your collision, it is unlikely.

In general, traffic cameras in Massachusetts that might capture footage of an accident include speed cameras and red-light cameras. If your collision occurred in a construction zone, it might have also been filmed.

The various agencies that maintain traffic cameras rarely retain the footage. For example, red-light and speed cameras operate on a trigger basis rather than filming continuous footage. Red-light cameras take still photographs of a driver when they run a red light. If the driver crashed into you as they ran a red light, a photograph might exist. However, red-light cameras are trained on the faces of drivers and their license plates.

Similarly, speed cameras snap photographs of a driver’s license plate and face when they are triggered by the driver exceeding the speed limit. Highway cameras might stream footage each day, but it isn’t stored in such a way that victims can access it.

If a traffic camera did capture footage of your accident, figuring out how to obtain traffic camera video of a car accident will likely require you to seek the help of an experienced attorney. When it exists, this type of footage isn’t stored for very long. Because of this, speaking to a lawyer as soon as possible after your collision is a good idea. Your attorney can then begin contacting each agency that might have footage and ask them to preserve it. Depending on the circumstances, your attorney might have to subpoena footage.

Obtaining Security Camera Video

Another type of video footage that might be available is video from security cameras from area businesses or homes. Security camera footage of accidents is more common than traffic camera footage. Many homes and businesses have security cameras. If your crash happened near a business or home, it might have been captured by one or more security cameras in the area. Your car accident lawyer will visit the accident scene and look for security cameras in the area that might have captured your collision. They can then ask for the footage or subpoena it if their request is denied.

What If a Collision Was Not Caught on Camera?

Most car accidents are not caught on camera. Instead, other types of evidence might be gathered to determine liability.

A police report can be helpful when you are pursuing compensation. While the report can’t be used as evidence in court, it will likely contain important information your lawyer can use to guide their investigation, including information about each involved driver and vehicle, names and addresses of witnesses, the officer’s observations at the scene, statements made by the involved parties, and the officer’s opinion about who was at fault.

Whenever you are involved in a crash that results in injury, death, or property damage of more than $1,000, you should call 911 and report it. Ask for the police to come to the scene, as having a police report can be important in proving your case.

In addition to the police report, eyewitnesses who saw what happened are important. Eyewitness statements are considered invaluable because unrelated third parties are unbiased and can give an objective view of what happened. However, it’s important to get the names and contact information of anyone who saw your crash so your lawyer can contact them quickly. Eyewitnesses can forget important details as time passes.

Talk to a Car Accident Lawyer

While you might not be able to secure copies of traffic camera video of your collision, an experienced attorney might uncover other important types of evidence to build a strong claim for you. To learn more about how we can help, contact the attorneys at Ellis & Associates for a free consultation today by calling 800-MR-ELLIS or sending us a message online.