Can You Leave The Dash Cam On All The Time? – [Find Answer]

Dash cams are growing in popularity, providing peace of mind while on the road. For those who don’t know, a dash cam is a small device that attaches to your car dashboard and continuously records footage while you’re driving.

This can come in handy if you ever need to document an accident or provide evidence to the police.

Can you leave the dash cam on all the time? The answer is…it depends because battery drainage is a possibility if you leave your dash camera on all the time.

But, dash cameras are designed to be left on all the time, so they will automatically record any incidents that occur while you are driving. 

Do you seem confused? Keep reading!

In this blog post, we will explore the pros and cons of leaving your dash cam on all the time, so you can make an informed decision about whether or not it’s right for you. Let’s get started!

Should Dashcam be removed when parked?

We get this question a lot, and the answer is NO, you should not remove your dash cam when parked.

If you have an incident while parked, you want to have footage of it. Plus, if your car is broken into or vandalized, your dash cam will document the incident.

Some people worry about battery drainage if they leave their dash cam on all the time, but most dash cams come with a built-in battery discharge prevention feature.

This means that your dash cam will automatically shut off when your car’s battery gets too low, so you don’t have to worry about it.

In short, you should leave your dash cam on all the time to ensure that you have footage of any incidents that occur, whether you’re in your car or not.

The pros and cons of leaving your dash cam on all the time:

PROS

Here, we will discuss the advantages in detail so you can make an informed decision about whether or not to leave your dash cam on all the time.

1. If you’re in an accident, your dash cam will provide footage to help prove who was at fault:

In the event of an accident, your dash cam footage can be used to help prove who was at fault. This is especially useful if the other driver tries to claim that you were at fault.

2. Your dash cam can help you document hit-and-runs:

If you’re the victim of a hit-and-run, your dash cam footage can be used to help identify the other driver. This is important because hit-and-runs are a serious crime, and the more evidence you have, the better.

3. Dash cams can capture interesting things happening on the road, like accidents or people breaking the law:

If you see something interesting happening on the road, your dash cam will capture it. This can be useful for providing evidence to the police or simply for entertainment value.

4. With a dash cam, you can avoid false insurance claims:

A false insurance claim against you can be costly and time-consuming to deal with. But if you have dash cam footage of the incident, you can quickly and easily prove that the claim is false. How? By providing the insurance company with the footage, of course!

5. Some dash cams come with features like parking mode, which records footage when your car is parked:

This is a handy feature if you’re worried about your car being broken into or vandalized while it’s parked. With parking mode, your dash cam will automatically start recording if it detects movement near your car.

6. Recording your drive can be fun and interesting – you never know what you’ll see!

For some people, simply recording their drives is fun and interesting. It’s a great way to document your travels and see things that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise.

7. Peace of Mind!!

Let’s face it, the world can be a scary place. But with a dash cam, you can rest assured knowing that you have footage of any incidents that occur, should you need it.

CONS

Now that we’ve discussed the pros, let’s take a look at the cons of leaving your dash cam on all the time.

1. Battery Drainage – as we mentioned before, most dash cams come with a built-in battery discharge prevention feature. However, if your car is parked for an extended period of time, your dash cam may drain your battery.

2. Dash cams can be privacy invaders – They may record conversations and personal moments without your knowledge or consent:

This is a valid concern, and it’s something that you should be aware of if you choose to leave your dash cam on all the time.

If you’re worried about your privacy, you can take steps to mitigate this risk, such as pointing the camera away from your face when you’re in the car.

3. Your dash cam footage may not be admissible in court – While dash cam footage is often used as evidence in court, it’s not always admissible.

This depends on the laws in your jurisdiction and the specific circumstances of your case.

4. Increased wear and tear on the device – If you leave your dash cam on all the time, it will likely experience increased wear and tear.

This means that it may need to be replaced more frequently than if it was used only occasionally.

5. The possibility of someone hacking into your camera and seeing inside your car – While this is unlikely, it is possible for someone to hack into your dash cam and see what’s going on inside your car.

If you’re concerned about this, you can take steps to prevent it, such as password-protecting your device.

6. It’s illegal in some states to have a dash cam that records while you’re driving – In some states, it’s illegal to have a dash cam that is recording while you’re driving.

This is because it can be distracting and dangerous. If you live in one of these states, you’ll need to turn off your dash cam while you’re driving.

Why should you or should not leave your dashcam in your car?

Leaving a dash camera in your car overnight if it doesn’t have parking mode may draw unwanted attention.

When that occurs, it’s crucial to keep in mind to take the object out of the windscreen as soon as you can.

Dash cam owners frequently inquire as to whether or not it is preferable to leave their devices in the vehicle when it is parked.

The main factors to consider when leaving a dash cam in the car are highlighted below as dash cams grow in popularity as road safety items.

Parking mode

Experienced dashcam users tend to keep their devices in their cars for the parking mode feature rather than out of sheer lazines.

Due to this capability, the dash camera can continue to operate and record even after the driver has switched off the engine and parked the car.

This results in a better finish because there are no trailing cables inside the cabin, enabling the parking mode capability.

However, the dashcam needs to be connected for this feature to work.

Although not all dash cameras have parking mode, those that do almost always need to be connected to the fuse box so they may continue to operate even after the ignition is turned off and the car is parked.

Parking-free mode

If your dash camera doesn’t have a parking mode, placing it in your car overnight might only draw unwanted attention.

When that occurs, it’s crucial to keep in mind to take the object out of the windscreen as soon as you can.

Keeping it out of sight in the glove box keeps prying eyes away. Another way to prevent harm to the dash cam is to buy a carrying bag or protective pouch.

Is Parking Mode Value for Money and Time?

The majority of consumers view parking mode as additional insurance. How risk-averse are you, and how much money are you willing to spend?

It might pay off immediately if you’re one of the minorities whose car is purposely damaged by vandals. Others make a personal choice based on a variety of considerations. 

If I leave my car parked for a few hours at a time, is it worthwhile to get a dash cam battery pack?

Yes, it is. You can still record in parking mode even if you don’t drive frequently or long enough to charge the dash cam battery pack fully.

For instance, a MyCar PowerCell 8 dash cam battery pack can be fully charged in roughly 50 minutes.

The battery pack can be charged to 30% in just 15 minutes, offering you up to twelve runtimes for one 1-channel dash cam or up to seven hours for a two-channel dash cam.

Conclusion

Leaving your dash cam on all the time has its pros and cons. Weigh the pros and cons to decide what’s best for you.

If you’re concerned about privacy, make sure to take steps to mitigate the risks. 

We have discussed the advantages and disadvantages of having a dash cam that records while you drive. However, it is ultimately up to you to decide whether or not to use one.

Frequently Asked Questions