Reports of dangerous driving to police via the National Dash Cam Safety Portal also hit record high in 2024

●The first half of 2024 saw over 24,000 reports via video to the police, and over 135,000 motoring offences have been submitted over the last five years.

●Just 2% of vehicle thefts in year to June 2023 resulted in a charge as numbers rise

●All police forces across England and Wales now accept video uploads in the UK for driving-related offences through the National Dash Cam Safety Portal.

●August 5 marks National Dash Cam Day, designed to raise awareness of, and celebrate, the positive impact Dash Cam’s have on road and driver safety.

LONDON, 05 AUGUST 2024New data from Nextbase shows that Brits are increasingly using Dash Cams to make roads safer, as the number of video reports UK police forces received via the National Dash Cam Safety Portal (NDCSP) is set to increase by 31 percent in 2024.

Recent research also indicates that UK drivers are starting to see Dash Cams not just as a nice to have, but a must have, with 70% believing that all cars should be fitted with one.

When asked what made someone a “responsible” driver installing a Dash Cam was singled out by 41% of respondents. This was a similar percentage to those who identified not driving for longer than four hours at a time (46%) and keeping a spare tyre and high vis kit in the car.

Separate research carried out for Nextbase recently highlighted why many Brits are now protecting themselves using Dash Cams, with as many as 11% of all drivers across a sample of nearly 10,000 drivers driving while distracted. This was defined as any driver seen on their phone, eating or drinking or otherwise distracted at 40 busy London streets and junctions.

What’s more, Dash Cams can help to protect vehicles whilst stationary too. Theft rose to over 100,000 vehicles stolen in the year to June 2023, and charge rates continue to fall, resulting in increased demand for gear to make it harder for thieves. Brits in crime-ridden neighbourhoods are turning to in-vehicle cameras to help gather evidence of any wrongdoings.

The National Dash Cam Safety Portal was set up by British Dash Cam firm Nextbase as a simple way for the public to send videos of dangerous driving to the police for further action, with 70% of submissions resulting in further action*. These reports also often lead to other offences, such as stolen vehicles or driving without insurance being uncovered during the process.

In the year to date, the top five regions processing the most uploads include: West Midlands, West Murcia, Northumberland, Surrey and South Yorkshire. These five regions have already received over 18,000 submissions in 2024, more than the total number submitted across the UK in the whole of 2021.

Throughout 2024, there has been a general increase in the number of videos submitted through the portal, with 24,000 submissions by the end of June, however, reports of dangerous driving tend to spike over summer, with June 2023 taking the title of the most uploads in a single month, with May, and July also making the top five.

Five years since its launch, the NDCSP, in partnership with Egress - a government-tier security data hosting specialist, responsible for developing and delivering the platform’s technology – has processed over 135,000 dangerous driving clips, saving an estimated 123 years of police time.

The platform, which was built to allow motorists to quickly and securely upload footage of dangerous driving to the relevant police force, now works with every police force in England. Nextbase is working to help it cover the whole of the UK in future.

Bryn Brooker, Head of Road Safety at Nextbase, commented:

“Brits are increasingly making an effort to protect themselves on the road from dangerous drivers, both by installing Dash Cams and using the footage they record to help get dangerous drivers off the roads. It is perhaps not surprising given so many drivers are taking unnecessary risks in driving while texting, trying to eat a sandwich or some other distraction.

“With more than 135,000 uploads to the Portal and another sharp increase in usage this year, the need for technological solutions to improve road safety is clear. We are pleased to see that almost all forces across England and Wales now accept video evidence in this way, making it easier to take dangerous drivers off the road, something that has undoubtedly saved lives.”