Traffic camera footage of car accidents is hard to come by. While there are traffic cameras in and around the Phoenix area, the chances that your accident was filmed, that the footage is clear, and that it is accessible are relatively low.

In fact, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) doesn’t store footage from live traffic cameras for any meaningful period of time. Pictures from red-light and speed cameras may be accessible for a bit, as law enforcement uses them to identify and fine negligent drivers. When no traffic camera footage is available, which is often the case, we may still get video evidence from other sources.

Have our Phoenix car accident lawyers review your case for free when you call Phoenix Accident and Injury Law Firm at (480) 428-0816.

Do Traffic Cameras Keep Footage of Car Accidents in Phoenix?

There are both live traffic cameras and speed and stoplight enforcement cameras in Phoenix, and getting evidence from either source isn’t always possible.

ADOT Traffic Cameras

Arizona Department of Transportation traffic cameras in and around Phoenix, especially on highways and other busy roads, monitor traffic. These cameras have live feeds but generally don’t record or store footage. While we can still contact ADOT if one of its live traffic cameras was near the crash site, there will most likely be no accessible footage.

Red-Light and Speed Cameras

Red-light and speed cameras are managed by the City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department. Red-light cameras and speed cameras don’t film continuously. Instead, they take pictures when triggered. Triggering events include running a stoplight and driving over the speed limit.

Photos are used to identify drivers and issue fines for traffic violations, so the images are stored in some capacity. Our lawyers can contact Phoenix’s Street Transportation Department if your accident may have triggered either of these cameras, which could yield useful photographs.

How Long Do Other Cameras Keep Footage of Car Accidents?

Other devices may store footage for days, or weeks, or for very little time at all. Let us contact anyone who may own a security camera nearby to see if any footage of the crash exists.

Dashcam Footage

How long dashcam footage can be kept largely depends on storage space. Dashcam footage owners might coincidentally run out of storage and delete videos right after filming an accident, so you shouldn’t wait to get this footage, even though it may not be intentionally deleted.

Business Security Camera Footage

Many businesses in Phoenix have security cameras, and these systems may overwrite footage after several days or weeks.

Home Security Footage

Doorbell cameras and other home security systems may also capture car accidents, and our attorneys can quickly contact homeowners in the area to see if they have footage we can use as evidence.

Eyewitness Phone Footage

Occasionally, an eyewitness will have video or photo evidence that our Phoenix car accident lawyers can use. In addition to securing eyewitnesses’ statements, we can also collect any images that show what happened and who was negligent before witnesses delete them.

How Do You Get Traffic Camera Footage of an Accident?

We can check if any footage of the accident exists while you focus on physically recovering from whatever injuries you sustained.

Confirm the Accident Location

First, we must confirm the accident location. Tell us exactly where the crash occurred, and we can canvas the area for any nearby traffic cameras or surveillance systems.

Confirm the Accident Date

We also need to confirm the accident’s date and time so we can easily locate the crash when reviewing a large volume of footage.

Contact Footage Owners

You ultimately need to contact whoever owns the traffic or security cameras to obtain footage, which our lawyers can handle while you are healing.

FAQs About Getting Traffic Camera Footage of a Car Accident

How Often Can Plaintiffs Get Traffic Camera Footage of a Car Accident?

Getting footage from any traffic camera is rare, and our lawyers can prepare a successful case with or without such footage, so don’t panic if none is available.

Who Do You Contact About Getting Traffic Camera Footage of a Car Accident?

In case it has any stored footage, we will contact ADOT on your behalf after an accident. We can also contact the City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department for red-light and speed camera photos, and reach out to private security camera owners in the area for footage.

Do You Need a Lawyer to Get Traffic Camera Footage of a Car Accident?

Without a lawyer, you might not know who to contact to seek traffic camera footage and how to request pictures or videos. You might also not realize that other camera footage exists and is accessible, like from private surveillance systems.

What if There is No Traffic Camera Footage of Your Car Accident?

If there is no traffic camera footage of your car accident, which is often the case, we may get footage from other devices, such as home security cameras, business security cameras, dashboard cameras, doorbell cameras, and even eyewitnesses’ personal devices.

How Can You Use Traffic Footage of a Car Accident?

We can use footage of a car accident to prove that the defendant initiated the collision and was negligent. Footage is concrete evidence of negligence, so preserving it when possible is crucial.

How Do You Get Traffic Camera Footage of a Car Accident in Phoenix?

Victims can only get traffic camera footage, if it exists, by acting quickly. The same is true of obtaining any video evidence after a collision, such as from nearby businesses or homeowners.

What if Car Accident Footage is Unusable?

If we recover footage of the collision but it is too blurry or of poor quality, we may rely on other evidence to prove fault, such as clear photos, detailed eyewitness testimony, and expert accident reconstruction.

Reach Out to Our Phoenix Lawyers for Help with Your Car Accident Case

Get a free case assessment from our Mesa, AZ car accident lawyers by calling Phoenix Accident and Injury Law Firm at (480) 428-0816.