If you were recently injured in a car accident in Tennessee and think a traffic camera might have filmed the crash, it’s important to act quickly. There’s no guarantee that traffic cameras will keep footage of accidents in Tennessee.
Of the various traffic cameras in Tennessee, none are guaranteed to store footage of car accidents for long, if at all. That said, if enlisted quickly enough after a crash, our attorneys can reach out to the necessary parties to request access to potential traffic camera footage or photographs from live, red-light, or speed cameras. If none exist, our lawyers can use other evidence, like private security camera footage and eyewitness testimony, to prove a negligent driver’s fault in a car accident lawsuit, with or without traffic camera footage.
Our attorneys are dedicated to helping victims in Tennessee recover the compensatory damages they deserve against negligent drivers. For a free case evaluation with the Tennessee car accident lawyers at Howe Law, call today at (844) 876-4357.
How Long Do Tennessee Traffic Cameras Keep Footage of Accidents?
In Tennessee, there are several types of traffic cameras. Live cameras maintained by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) stream footage for drivers and staff to view. Red-light and speed cameras maintained by law enforcement agencies are used to deter reckless driving and ticket negligent drivers if necessary. Each of these cameras might capture images of a crash, depending on the location. That said, the monitoring agencies don’t necessarily keep such images for long. To better understand your chances of recovering traffic camera footage after a collision and improve them, turn to our Tennessee car accident lawyers.
TDOT Cameras
The Tennessee Department of Transportation maintains a network of live traffic cameras throughout the state. These devices tend to be situated near popular highways and interstates. Their purpose is to stream live footage to TDOT’s website so drivers can stay updated on weather and traffic conditions. TDOT’s live traffic cameras aren’t used to film and store footage of car accidents in Tennessee. If your recent collision happened in view of a TDOT camera, reach out to our Tennessee car accident lawyers. If a TDOT camera did film your crash and store the footage, it may only be for a short period. Our attorneys can reach out to TDOT staff to request access to potential footage before it is deleted.
Red-Light Cameras
Red-light cameras allow law enforcement agencies to identify and ticket negligent drivers in Tennessee. These cameras sit atop stoplights and operate on a trigger basis. Instead of filming footage, red-light cameras take photos when a negligent driver runs a stoplight. These photographs, often of a driver’s face and license plate, allow police officers to identify reckless drivers.
Because the photos taken by red-light cameras are used for identification purposes, they may be stored by police departments for some time. While meant to photograph certain images, a red-light camera might capture other images of a crash that can also support your claim. Unfortunately, if that information is not useful to police officers, they might not store it for long. Call our Nashville car accident attorneys after a crash to ensure you obtain red-light camera photos before they are erased.
Speed Cameras
Permitted primarily near school zones, speed cameras help law enforcement agencies in Tennessee identify negligent drivers. When a driver passes a sensor while driving over the speed limit, a speed camera will snap identifying pictures of a negligent driver. These photos can be helpful in a compensation claim. Because police officers use speed camera photos to identify speeding drivers, these images may be stored for some time after they’re taken. However, there’s no guarantee that law enforcement officials will keep photos from speed cameras, so calling our attorneys immediately after a crash in Tennessee is important.
What to Do When Traffic Cameras Don’t Keep Footage of Accidents in Tennessee?
When traffic cameras don’t keep footage or photos of an accident in Tennessee, victims might be unsure how to otherwise strengthen a compensation claim. Regardless of its existence, relying solely on traffic camera footage to prove a negligent driver’s fault in a car accident lawsuit is not wise. Our attorneys will work hard to uncover additional evidence of fault so that you can recover sufficient compensation against a negligent driver, regardless of available traffic camera footage.
Private Security Camera Footage
When traffic camera footage isn’t an option in Tennessee, private security camera footage may be. These cameras often store footage longer than traffic cameras and may produce a clearer image. Tell our attorneys if you notice private security cameras near an accident site in Tennessee. Our lawyers can reach out to local business owners or homeowners to request access to footage of your recent car accident. Other types of cameras, like doorbell or dashboard cameras, might also be useful evidence against a negligent driver in a car accident lawsuit in Tennessee.
Eyewitness Testimony
If you cannot access traffic camera footage in time, or it never existed in the first place, eyewitness testimony can be similarly effective. If, after an accident, you notice that witnesses are around, get their contact information. Eyewitness accounts of an at-fault driver’s negligence can be crucial in a compensation claim. Witnesses might take photos or videos at an accident scene, which can also be helpful to our Murfreesboro car accident lawyers when proving a negligent driver’s fault. If you can’t get eyewitnesses’ contact information after a crash because of your injuries, ask first responders to do so for you.
Call Our Lawyers After a Car Accident in Tennessee
If you were recently injured in a car accident in Tennessee, our attorneys can help. For a free case evaluation with the Knoxville car accident lawyers at Howe Law, call today at (844) 876-4357.
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