In recent years, there have been more locations than ever where traffic cameras have been installed. Traffic cameras are widespread in American cities. But do traffic cameras record?

In fact, red-light cameras usually do not capture live footage, only photographs. However, a small number of traffic cameras are documenting it.

Learn more by reading on.

Do Traffic Cameras Record Footage?

Whether traffic cameras record footage and just how much footage they record depends on the type of traffic camera.

There are numerous traffic enforcement cameras, including red light cameras, that serve a particular function. You can probably expect a traffic camera over a red light to record a picture or a brief video of cars that proceed through the intersection after the light turns red. These cameras typically record for only 12 seconds or so, usually in response to movement after the light in that direction turns red.

When a car passes a speeding camera at a rate that exceeds the posted limit, the camera may record about 12 seconds of video.

School bus cameras have become more common in recent years as a result of efforts to reduce the number of people who attempt to illegally pass by stopped school buses. These cameras might record a brief video of the offending car.

Consequently, do traffic cameras capture images? Sometimes.

However, you might need to act quickly and take a few factors into consideration if you need to use traffic camera evidence as part of a car accident claim.

Related Reading: How Long is Traffic Camera Footage Stored?

Does Every Intersection With a Traffic Camera Actively Record Footage?

Not all intersections equipped with traffic cameras actively record video. Some cameras, especially vintage models, may only be capable of taking pictures. These pictures frequently give a poor glimpse of a single still moment in time.

There might even be fake traffic cameras at other intersections. For instance, the city of New York uses just as many fake cameras—those that aren’t connected to anything and aren’t recording—as it does real traffic cameras.

Drivers cannot predict which cameras are actively recording and which ones are not because the city moves those cameras around frequently.

A traffic camera’s ability to capture the right moment is not guaranteed by the fact that it is active.

How Can I Get Traffic Camera Footage from My Accident?

Contact a lawyer as soon as possible after your accident if you need the traffic camera footage due to injuries you sustained in the collision.

A lawyer knows how to navigate the system to get you the evidence as soon as possible and to gain access to crucial information. Additionally, a lawyer can use that video to support your case.

Since footage is frequently deleted, a lawyer might need to ask for traffic camera footage shortly after the collision. After it is deleted or overwritten, you might not be able to recover the video from traffic cameras.

Conclusion: Do Traffic Cameras Record

Do traffic cameras actually capture images? In short: sometimes, but often in short bursts.

As soon as you can after your accident, get in touch with a lawyer if you think that traffic camera footage might be able to help you determine who caused your accident or provide other, crucial evidence to support your claim.

By doing this, you can learn how traffic camera footage might be useful to you and what precautions you might need to take to secure it.

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