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Do Insurance Companies Get Footage from Traffic Cameras in Maryland?


When Maryland car accident victims file an insurance claim, they should expect insurance companies to investigate a crash thoroughly. That includes obtaining traffic camera footage of an accident if it exists.

Insurance companies can get traffic camera footage and photos of a Maryland car accident it such information is available. While video or photographic evidence can help a victim’s insurance claim, unclear images might allow insurance companies to contest a victim’s version of events.

After all, Maryland insurance companies don’t want to pay victims what they’re due. To provide clear proof of a negligent driver’s fault, your attorney can gather video evidence from local security cameras and photographs taken by police and eyewitnesses.

When confronted with overwhelming evidence of a negligent driver’s fault, a Maryland insurance company may be more likely to approve your claim.

Our attorneys are here to help Maryland car accident victims recover the compensation they deserve. For a free case evaluation with the Maryland car accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras, call today at (410) 694-7291.

Can an Insurance Company Get Traffic Camera Footage of My Maryland Accident?

After a car accident, Maryland victims might want access to traffic camera footage of their collision. You’re not the only one who might want to obtain that information.

Maryland insurance companies may be interested in getting traffic camera footage of a car accident as well. If you were recently injured in a Maryland car accident, it’s important to learn whether or not an insurance company can get traffic camera footage of a crash.

Live Cameras

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) maintains live traffic cameras throughout the state. These cameras are usually located along popular highways and roadways to monitor weather and traffic conditions.

The cameras stream live footage to MDOT’s website for drivers and MDOT staff to view. Currently, MDOT does not have any method for storing traffic camera footage.

So, even if a live camera caught your accident, footage won’t be available. Neither car accident victims nor insurance companies can access footage from live MDOT traffic cameras after a crash.

Red-Light Cameras

Used to identify and ticket negligent drivers, red-light cameras are monitored by local law enforcement agencies throughout Maryland. These cameras don’t film footage and instead take still images when triggered.

The camera flashes when a driver runs a stoplight, photographing their face and license plate.

While it’s quite rare, it’s possible for a Maryland red-light camera to be triggered at the exact right moment to capture your car accident.

If these photos exist, an insurance company might be able to access them if it contacts local law enforcement in time.

Speed Cameras

In Maryland, local law enforcement agencies use speed cameras to deter reckless driving. The camera is triggered when a driver passes a sensor over the speed limit.

Photos are then taken of a speeding driver’s face and license plate. These images are used to identify and ticket negligent drivers for speeding. If the driver that hit you passed a speed camera sensor simultaneously, there might be photos of the crash.

If so, an insurance company might be able to obtain these photos by reaching out to the necessary law enforcement agency.

What if a Maryland Insurance Company Gets Traffic Camera Footage of My Accident?

When you file a claim with a negligent driver’s liability insurance, it will likely look for any reason to deny you compensation. That might mean leaning on fuzzy red-light or speed camera photos that put liability into question.

When reviewing a claim, an insurance company might choose to access potential traffic camera footage of a collision. At first, you might think that video evidence could only help your compensation claim.

Unfortunately, because traffic cameras don’t film and store footage in Maryland, such footage can’t help victims in a claim. If red-light or speed camera photos exist of your crash, they might be blurry or unclear, creating room for doubt regarding an accident’s cause.

This can pose serious issues for Maryland victims, which is why hiring an attorney is essential. An insurance company might seek out blurry or unclear traffic camera photos to claim that you contributed to your injuries.

Because Maryland is a pure contributory negligence state, any indication that you contributed to your injuries might bar you from recovering compensation.

With an experienced Maryland car accident lawyer in your corner, you can anticipate an insurance company’s actions and provide proof of an at-fault party’s negligence.

Remember, insurance companies aren’t trying to help you when they look for traffic camera footage of a car accident. Don’t expect a Maryland insurance company to have your back and thoroughly compensate you for a car accident.

Instead, hire a Baltimore car accident lawyer to advocate for your right to compensation.

Can Private Security Camera Footage Help My Maryland Insurance Claim?

Generally, insurance companies don’t want to see evidence that shows you didn’t cause a car accident. To set the record straight, your attorney can uncover additional video and photographic evidence so that an insurance company is compelled to approve your claim.

Although traffic camera footage might not exist for your Maryland car accident, that doesn’t mean there is no additional video evidence that can help your claim.

If there are private security cameras near an accident site, it’s possible that they filmed a collision. Such footage might be sharper than images from red-light and speed cameras, clearly capturing an accident’s events.

By providing this video evidence to an insurance company, in addition to photos of the accident scene taken by police, victims, and eyewitnesses, a Towson car accident lawyer can clearly demonstrate a negligent driver’s fault. Showing an insurance company ample evidence is important so that you can recover the compensation you deserve.

Call Our Maryland Lawyers About Your Car Accident Today

If you were recently injured in a car accident in Maryland, our attorneys can help. For a free case evaluation with the Waldorf car accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras, call today at (410) 694-7291.