More than 1,000 car accidents happen each day in Florida. Many of these accidents occur within the sight of traffic cameras, security cameras, and other recording devices.
While traffic camera video may be valuable evidence to prove a car accident negligence claim, it can be difficult to obtain. The following offers advice on securing traffic camera and other video footage for use in a car accident case.
If you need further advice on this subject or help proving responsibility in your car accident case, contact an experienced Sarasota personal injury attorney.
The Sarasota-Manatee Regional Traffic Management Center (RTMC) operates a network of over 220 traffic cameras in Sarasota and Manatee counties. The cameras are located at intersections, bridges, and other key locations throughout the region.
Traffic camera footage can be used to determine liability in an accident claim in a number of ways. For example, traffic camera footage can be used to:
There are a few different ways to access traffic camera footage in Sarasota, Florida:
The best way to obtain traffic camera video after a car accident is through a car accident attorney. An experienced attorney can formally request traffic camera footage on their client’s behalf from the appropriate governmental or organizational authority.
If a formal request is denied, an attorney can issue and serve a subpoena for the desired traffic camera footage.
Getting traffic camera video footage after a car accident can take time. It may be faster to search out other camera footage of the accident.
Stores and businesses in the accident area may have security camera footage of the accident. If the crash was in a residential area, doorbell cameras or residential security cameras may contain accident-related footage.
Eyewitnesses may have cellphone footage or dashcam footage of the car accident. A Sarasota car accident attorney can help gather eyewitness information and determine potential sources of camera footage.
It is vital to know that traffic camera video and security camera footage are not stored long-term. Some traffic camera footage is erased daily.
Home and business security camera footage may be erased or recorded over weekly or monthly. Therefore, it is important to act quickly if video footage could play an important role in proving negligence in a car accident claim.
Traffic camera video can help a car accident victim prove another driver’s reckless or negligent acts caused a crash. Video footage can show that a negligent driver ran a red light, was speeding, or failed to yield to oncoming traffic.
Traffic camera video can also hurt a car accident victim. Video footage may show that the victim was partially responsible for a crash or the extent of their injuries.
For instance, an accident victim may not have suffered extensive injuries if they had not been speeding or been distracted by their phone at the time of the accident. (Generally, car accident victims found to be less than 50% responsible for a crash may still recover compensation in Florida.)
Here are some websites that have traffic camera data in Sarasota, Florida:
If you suffered injuries in a Sarasota car accident and believe traffic camera video or other camera footage may help your case, call Shapiro l Delgado l Hofmann right away. One of our attorneys will review your case at no cost and advise you of your next best legal steps.
Do not wait until valuable camera footage is erased or recorded over. Get help from Sarasota car accident attorneys with more than 100 years of combined personal injury experience!
Contact Shapiro l Delgado l Hofmann online or call (941) 954-4000 today!
