Anyone who has suffered an accident while riding on the road will find that a good quality recording is their best chance of police action being taken. Aimi Clark finds out why a hat camera is fast becoming a must-have piece of riding kit, plus key features to look for before buying
IF YOU WERE involved in an incident while riding on the road, could you remember the vehicle registration number? What about its colour, make and model, and any other distinguishing features —bumper stickers, for example? Anyone confidently saying yes, might you also accurately recall the details of the driver, any witnesses, and the exact time it occurred?
Even if you think that you could,your versionofeventsmay not be enoughto triggerapoliceinvestigation.Aspartof OperationSnap, most forceswillonly accept an incident report if video footage is uploaded at the same time. It doesn’t matter how accurately you might be able to write or explain what happened: the investigating officer must be able to watch and come to their own conclusion of whetheracrime hasbeencommitted.
Thereisonly one solution: wearinga camera everytime youride.
Holding upincourt
Anyone involved in a road incident that is serious enough to go to court is likely to find that bothcriminal andcivilcourtswill most likely accept video footage obtained by a rider wearinga camera as evidence in a trial,according to Hannah Bradley, a solicitor from TheEquine Law Firm.
“Evidence in courtisoften traditionally given by way of writtenwitness statements andoral witness evidence. However, this evidence can have weaknesses,”she says.“Memories of events can fade, and recollectionsofincidents —particularly fast or traumatic ones—candiffer.
“Witnesses canpotentially recall what they wish hadhappened, or what they believetohavehappened, rather than what actually didhappen. Good quality, contemporaneous video footageis unbiased, anditenables ajudge to seefor themselves theincidentasitunfoldedinrealtime.”
If ahat or body camera hascaptured an incident clearly,itwill likely be the most valuable piece of evidence available to thepolice—and later thecourt. However, Hannah warns that there can also be drawbacksto wearingacamera from alegal perspective.
“If the other party notices that a camera isbeingworn, that party could seek an orderthat any footagebe disclosed as part of legal proceedings, even if therider does not want to disclose it;for example, if their horse has caused damage to another’s property,” explains Hannah.
“Each rider must weigh upthe advantages and disadvantages ofwearing acamera, taking into account their own circumstances. However, as the gravest risk to most riders on theroad isbeing involved in an incident with avehicle,the advantage of beingable to provewhat happened is significant. Iwould thereforesuggest that, from alegal perspective, theadvantages out
