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Should You Get A Dash Cam For Your RV?

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

A Youtube search for dash cam videos will pull up tons of insane wrecks.  But there are a lot of other reasons why they’re worth investing for your RV besides recording cool footage.  These cameras can give you concrete evidence for your insurance in case you were involved in an accident and you weren’t the one at fault.

RVers discussed on the iRV2 forums about whether or not they’ve found their dash cam to be beneficial.  Member Lt Dan said:

“Mine runs constantly when we are on the move. It has come in handy a few times already when idiots cut us off. We had one close call where a guy changed lanes right in front of us and slammed on the brakes. If I had rear ended him, it would have been my word against his without the camera.”

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dash cam
Dash cams are worth the money if you’re involved in an accident. Photo: Fernost on Wikipedia
Fernost , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Dash cams are like fire extinguishers and emergency kits.  Hopefully, you will never need to use them (i.e. their footage), but they are good to have in case anything should happen.  They can also come in handy recording videos of scenic road trips, and some people have also used the footage to help get tickets dismissed. Some dash cams like the Crosstour have a motion detector when your vehicle’s parked that can be useful if someone tries to break in.

Many dash cams start recording as soon as your RV or car moves, with HD quality and night vision if you’re driving after dark.  Some also have the ability to record speed, time/date, and sound.

Another iRV2 member, computerguy, says it’s even worse these days with drivers who can’t put their phones down:

“Have one in my car and in the motorhome. Cheap insurance. Never had an at fault accident and don’t plan on starting now. Too many unscrupulous people out there and have seen way too many stupid idiotic boneheaded moves by others.

It’s gotten considerably worse will all the people texting, surfing the internet simply not paying attention while trying (notice I say trying) to drive.

Garmin also makes a line of dash cams with great picture quality.  In addition to recording your driving, the Dash 35 alerts you in case you’re getting too close to the vehicle in front of you and automatically saves footage if it senses impact.  You can also use the Dash 35 to take still shots from inside or outside of your vehicle to document any collision damage.

dash cams
Garmin’s dash cams have great picture quality. Photo: Eli Christman

In case of insurance scammers, iRV2 member Shawn M. said he recommends a dash cam to everyone he knows.

“We had a rush on dash cams at the park I stayed at last February. One of the regulars had one, and on his trip down I-75 a caddy pulled across 4 empty lanes and locked up the brakes. He hit the caddy and it rolled three times. Guy climbed out of the caddy and started yelling that my friend hit him. Florida trooper showed up and the guy told the trooper that he was rear ended.

My friend invited the trooper into his rig and showed him the video. He said you should have seen the look on the guys face when he heard the word video. It was priceless. Trooper walked out of the rig and told the caddy driver that he was getting two tickets, one for illegal lane change and one for causing the accident, and don’t challenge it because he had seen the video. Turns out the caddy was a rental and the driver was a felon two weeks out of jail looking for an insurance payout. Saved my friend lots of pain and anguish.

I transferred it to my truck and when a kid swerved to miss a deer and sideswiped my truck it was nice to know I had the video if I needed it. The kid admitted fault so I didn’t need it.”

Of course, Shawn and his friend got lucky with these incidents.  Others on the iRV2 forum weren’t so fortunate.  Senior member Winemaker2 said,

“Wish I had one last spring…18 wheeler took off my driver side mirror in a construction lane shift.
Real cooperative on site…said just get an estimate and I’ll turn it in to get fixed… wouldn’t respond to emails or phone and when I went thru the trucking company he said I hit him!!!
Insurance companies agreed to disagree and I got stuck w deductible & a claim on insurance.”

Dash cams cost anywhere from $15-$ 300+, depending on quality and extra features.  Most use a micro SD card for video storage, which may or may not come included.

If you want one that’s easy on the budget just in case of accidents, this one by Pathinglet costs less than $30.  The dash cams aren’t as high of quality as other cameras but they still get the job done.  If you don’t mind spending a little more for a better quality video and other special features, look into popular brands like Rexing, Vantrue, Old Shark, YI, Garmin, and Magellan.

Keep in mind that state laws vary and many states don’t allow objects to be mounted to your windshield.  However, a few states have provisions to allow dash cams, including Arizona, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, California, and Pennsylvania.  An easy way to go around this?  Mount your dash cam to your rear-view mirror instead.

See also:  Back Up RV Cameras: Best Options and Reviews