How the Dash Cam Police Portal Works

Have you been involved in a road accident or witnessed another driver driving recklessly? If you have a dashcam, you can share the footage with the police through the Dash Cam Police Portal.

Your video can help the authorities determine the parties involved, identify drivers who break the law, and gather evidence for their investigation.

But how do you submit your video to the police?

What’s the Nextbase Dash Cam Portal?

 With pocket-sized cameras becoming more widely available and affordable for car owners, Nextbase, a dash cam manufacturer, has created a portal where drivers can submit their video footage to the authorities.

This portal is called the Nextbase National Dash Cam Safety Portal. Drivers in England and Wales can use it to help the police make roads safer for everyone. 

How can I submit my footage?

The portal is free to use. Drivers can submit dash cam videos to speed up the process of gathering evidence that the authorities can use, especially in road accidents.

Regardless of the make of your dash cam, you can use the Nextbase portal. Nextbase identified the limitations that the police faced when developing the platform themselves, so they took the initiative to create the Dash Cam Police Portal.

Uploading Raw Footage

If you capture a car crash, for example, you can upload the raw footage along with other important details, such as the time and location of the incident and a witness statement. 

Don't Upload to Social Media Platforms

It’s important not to edit the footage in any way and not to share it on social media platforms. The footage shouldn’t be in the public domain because it can greatly affect any subsequent proceedings regarding the incident you captured.

With your video, the police can determine what actions to take next and what penalties to issue to the offending parties. 

What kinds of footage can I submit?

Witnesses can submit any kind of footage. You may have filmed an incident using your dash cam, mobile phone, or camera.

You may submit the footage for as long as it relates to a road incident, regardless of which device and location you used to film the incident.

If you have captured other offences, you may get in touch with the police by dialling 101. You don’t have to worry about the police requiring you to hand over your device.

All that is necessary is the original footage file. However, make sure that it has not been edited or compressed.

If you have additional still photographs to submit, you may also include those. The videos and photographs you submitted should be able to show the incident fully.

Will I go to court to give evidence?

The average rate of offences that go to court is only about 2% of all the incidents submitted through the Nextbase Dash Cam Police Portal.

Most of the time, the offending party only has to go through a driver improvement course or accept the fixed penalty notice. 

This means you don’t have to worry about going to court to give your evidence. It is a very rare occurrence, and if you are asked to appear as a witness, you will be supported fully throughout the whole process. 

What happens to the offending driver?

The police will carefully review your footage and witness statement. After that, they will decide if offences were indeed made.

Other decisions on disposal options will be taken according to the CPS charging standards. The disposal options include:

• No further action
• Driver education course
• Fixed penalty notice
• Or summons to court

If you’re worried that the offending driver will find out who you are, don’t be. They won’t be provided with any of your details.

But if the incident goes to trial in court, and you are called in as a witness, then the offending driver will know your name. However, your address and other personal details will not be revealed. 

What do I do with the original footage?

It’s important that you make sure that the original footage is saved securely in the original format. It should be easily available in case the police need another copy.

You may save a backup file of the original footage on your hard drive, USB drive, or computer. 

Takeaway

Some car owners may think that dash cams are just a fancy car accessory. However, this is not true. You can use your footage if you need to claim insurance, prove that you’re not at fault in an accident, and help the authorities determine the offending parties.

To use the Dash Cam Police Portal, you don’t have to have a Nextbase dash cam. You can use any make and model, as well as any device like a camera or mobile phone. 

The Dash Cam Police Portal is helpful not just to the authorities but to all road users. When reckless drivers are caught, roads will be safer for other drivers who are doing their best to drive responsibly.

If you don’t have a dash cam yet, you might consider getting one so that you will have an extra pair of eyes while you’re on the road. 👍