Using Phone As Dashcam -- Illegal?

[Tone Loc]

Hello,

Recently, I almost got into an accident with a little man in a Dodge Compensator 1500, which was a bit of a wake-up call regarding the fact that I should probably have a camera recording for stuff like this.

I found an iPhone app in the App Store, appropriately named "DashCam", which enables you to use your phone as a dash cam. My plan was to stick the phone to my windshield using a suction cup mount and plug the charger into the cigarette socket.

The app loop records automatically, which means all I need to do is turn on the app before I start the car, affix the phone with the suction cup, and drive.

However, because it's a phone, the screen would always be on in order to record. That being said, I would not have to touch the screen or any of the phone buttons while driving.

Is this legal? I'm not too familiar with the distracted driving laws and I didn't see anything relating to dash cams on the website...

[Teriyaki]

Just reach for the wallet $50 and buy a dashcam, theres plenty of choices even at that price range (lots lower even). No idea how legal this would be. I personally wouldn't want to risk some $500 ticket just to save $50 bucks, seems like bad gamble.

[Manic!]

YouTube

[IMASA]

Phones make terrible dash cams. Dash cams have wide angle lens to capture more, the downside is that there is distortion. Objects seem farther away in the video so even if the guy cut you off with only a foot to spare, in the video it looks like there's a few feet of space.

Also, dash cams can take hours of continuous video easily where as your phone may overheat/freeze after a few mins of continuous video.

Tons of other reasons, with the low cost of dash cams now, (no need to get a high end, any cam is better than nothing), no reason to use your phone.

[SumAznGuy]

I was using my SGS1 as a dash cam for a while.
With it suction cupped to the front windshield, there is no reason you will get a ticket as you are not using it in your hands, and it would follow the same line as a GPS.
But with the screen on full bright, it does run the risk of overheating so definitely turn down the brightness of the screen.
And don't worry about the wide angle part. The stock rear facing camera should have a wide enough view to catch most of the important stuff.
There was one app that I was using that would cycle and they had a setting to only save the recording if a hard enough shock (ie accident).

[twitchyzero]

I agree any dash cam is better than nothing
even $25 one just to show you didn't run the red or someone cut you off etc.
it's just easier getting a dedicated one so it's set-it and forget-it and you don't have to fiddle with it each time you get in your seat.

[Soundy]

I've tried three different $35 dashcams, none of them worked with shit.I'm not even talking lousy quality, like they just didn't work. Don't waste your money on a cheap dashcam. Spend $100 for something decent, or don't even bother.

Sent from my SM-N900W8 using Tapatalk

[Teriyaki]

Originally Posted by Soundy

I've tried three different $35 dashcams, none of them worked with shit.I'm not even talking lousy quality, like they just didn't work. Don't waste your money on a cheap dashcam. Spend $100 for something decent, or don't even bother.

Sent from my SM-N900W8 using Tapatalk

Lol, what have you been buying. All my dash cams have been like $35 and they all work fine.

[underscore]

Originally Posted by SumAznGuy

There was one app that I was using that would cycle and they had a setting to only save the recording if a hard enough shock (ie accident).

Any chance you remember the name? I have to mount an old phone in my car as a datalogger anyways so maybe I'll make it do double duty as a dash cam too.

Originally Posted by Soundy

I've tried three different $35 dashcams, none of them worked with shit.I'm not even talking lousy quality, like they just didn't work. Don't waste your money on a cheap dashcam. Spend $100 for something decent, or don't even bother.

$35 might be a little low, but all of mine have been in the $60-80 range and they all still work.

[SumAznGuy]

On the Google play store, I think it was called the AutoGuard Dash Cam - Blackbox.
I'll double check when I get home.

[GLOW]

when i had 3 cars on my 3rd i just used my note 3 and a dashcrab to hold it.. i started recording, and THEN started the car. i just used the phone's video record mode, no fancy app was needed or used.

when my cam finally dies i'll be spending more on a better one. probably one of the $100 ones suggested on RS.