While it appears that cameras are everywhere in today’s world, it may also seem like there’s no camera recording when you need it. One such circumstance is after a car accident in Laredo or elsewhere in Texas.
When an accident occurs on Texas roadways that lack traffic cameras, a successful compensation claim against the at-fault party depends on eyewitness testimony, evidence from the scene, and reports from accident investigation specialists.
In some cases, however, a nearby traffic camera may have captured the accident on video, providing the clear and concise evidence you need to prove your case.
Contact a Laredo car accident lawyer today to get the compensation you deserve.
Understanding Traffic Cameras In Laredo
Many Laredo residents assume that there are traffic cameras at every intersection in Laredo, but a statewide law banned red-light cameras from intersections in 2019. Previously, red light cameras would capture video and photo images of vehicles that entered the intersection after the light turned red; for instance, when a driver attempted to “beat” a yellow light.
Then, the driver would receive a traffic citation in the mail. While studies showed a slight decline in T-bone accidents in Texas intersections, the lights also caused an increase in rear-end collisions caused by drivers slamming on their brakes to avoid citations.
While red light cameras have vanished from intersections in Texas, many roadways in the state have traffic monitoring cameras, including Laredo.
Can I Request Traffic Camera Footage After a Car Accident In Laredo?
The Texas Department of Transportation has live traffic cameras in Laredo and throughout Texas cities. These cameras are accessible online for drivers to monitor traffic conditions in real time. Unfortunately, they are typically used for live monitoring only and do not record or store video footage. Many accident victims face disappointment when attempting to recover video of their accident from the TXDOT traffic cameras.
In some cases, traffic cameras from other entities may be present and recording, depending on where the accident occurred. For instance, many local municipalities in Texas place traffic cameras in intersections and on busy city streets and highways. With prompt action, a traffic accident victim in Laredo could identify the agency or private property owner who owns the camera and request footage of the accident before it’s overwritten or deleted.
What Other Options Are Available for Laredo Traffic Camera Footage?
Depending on where the crash occurred and the circumstances of the accident, there could be other means of obtaining video evidence. Nearby businesses and homes may have security cameras and even doorbell cameras that captured the accident or the moments leading up to the accident, potentially showing one driver’s recklessness, carelessness, or wrongdoing. Finally, many of today’s drivers have dashcams installed inside their vehicles. Dashcam footage is typically allowable in Texas courts if the footage is relevant and unaltered.
Under the fault-based injury laws in Texas, an accident victim seeking compensation after a car accident must file a claim against the at-fault party.
A Laredo personal injury attorney can help you file this claim and fight for your rights.
How Do Traffic Cameras Prove Liability?
When a traffic camera, security camera, or dashcam captures images of a car accident in Laredo, it becomes valuable evidence to support a car accident claim by proving one driver’s negligence and liability for the other driver’s damages, like medical expenses, lost earnings, and compensation for pain and suffering. In the worst cases, a family member could recover wrongful death compensation.
Proving liability requires evidence demonstrating that the responsible driver’s actions meet the following standards of legal liability:
- The at-fault party owed a duty of care to the injury victim, such as the duty to follow traffic laws
- They breached this duty through negligence
- Their breach of duty caused injury
- The injury victim suffered damages from the injury
With sufficient evidence of liability from Laredo traffic cameras, dashcam video, or eyewitness testimony, most Texas car accident claims end with a settlement.