The number of us using a dash cam could explode this year with 19million of us set to record our journeys.

Dash cam use has already doubled in the last 12 months. Current estimates of the number of drivers using dash cams are now around 15-20%. However, according to research by Aviva that number will double once again in the next 12 months. But what is driving that trend?

Insurance fraud

The major factor encouraging people to install a dash cam is the worry over ‘cash-for-crash’ type scams. Aviva found that this was the reason for a third of people getting a dash cam.

The video below was widely shared with a particularly incompetent gang trying to scam money from the innocent driver.

Luckily for her, she did have a dash cam installed. She escaped undoubtedly shaken but with a bizarre story to dine out on.

Thankfully scams such as this are still fairly rare, but there are plenty of drivers out there who’ll try to maximise payouts by claiming injury for the smallest bump. Aviva dealt with 16,000 suspicious claims last year and rejected one in 10 whiplash claims for suspected fraud.

Dash cam footage can show what really happened, helping insurance companies decide who was really at fault. In fact, so far in 2017 Admiral has not taken a single case to court where dash cam footage was available.

Feeling safe

In Aviva’s poll they discovered that 42% of drivers feel safer when using a dash cam. Meanwhile, in a similar survey by the RAC they discovered that 25% of drivers think using one will improve their own driving.

In the event of an accident, police will now routinely seize dash cam evidence from all cars involved. So, if your own footage could be used against you, it’s no surprise users might pay more attention to the road.

If you use the 4Sight app as yout dash cam it will work even harder to protect you. Unlike standard cameras our app uses your phone’s motion sensors to detect an accident. If one happens we’ll call you to check you’re ok and send any emergency service to your location. The app also guides you through the process of getting further evidence including images, video and witness details.

Most of us have smart phones yet it’s surprising how many people don’t get the basic evidence for their insurers. After prioritising injured parties and with the stress of traffic building up it’s easy to forget. 4Sight talks you through it, keeping you calm.