This will give you an extra peace of mind while driving.

Dash cams, unlike other gadgets that you find in your car, do not carry the sole purpose of entertainment for you while driving, rather it is an add on for security and protection of you and your vehicle. These devices are small and frill free, making them super-efficient.  Most importantly, act as a surveillance system for your car, recording everything that is going in or around your vehicle.

So, what is a dash cam?

You can get a general idea about dash cams from the footages recorded in the traffic, through the driver's point of view, that you often see on TV or internet. Dash cams are basically miniature portable video cameras that can be installed in the dashboard (as the name suggests) of your vehicle. It can also be attached to the windshield or any other area of your vehicle as per your wish. However, one has to make sure that these cameras are not attached to the places that might distract the driver.

Generally any portable camera or a recording device can be used like a dash cam, but there are certain features that differentiate a dash-cam from its substitutes. Its ability to run on 12V DC lets the device to be wired into the electrical system of the vehicle. Another feature about this device is that it starts recording from the moment the vehicle is driven. And old data is automatically replaced by the new data hence making it easier to deal with unnecessary old video files. Usually such dash cams can record up to 7 hours of video (with a 32GB memory stick) continuously.

there is the dual camera dash cam that has two cameras facing outwards and towards the interior of the vehicle, recording the activities in both directions.

Why do you need a dash cam?

Video evidence can be considered as the most effective tool that can be used while making claims. Dash cams record everything that is going on in and around you while you are driving your car with the objective of providing video evidence if anything goes wrong. In the event of a claim, dash cam recordings can be very handy information to find out which party was at fault. People have this habit of blaming others (very effective here in Nepal too) in the event of an accident or any other wrongdoing. Many insurance companies prefer video evidence nowadays in order to filter out false claims. When it comes to security issues, dash cam can be quite a handy tool as it can be used to avoid bribery or any other illegal acts that could take place while you're in your car. When you lend your car to a friend or anyone else you might be concerned about how they drove your car. Well, guess what, dash cams can take care of that.

What kind of dash cam would you prefer?

Generally there are three kinds of dash cams available in the market.The first one is the basic dash cam that is preferred by most people. They have a built-in or a removable storage media that stores videos constantly recorded by the camera while you are driving. Secondly, there are basic dash cams with advanced features such as speed sensors, GPS tracking, audio recording, accelerometers and uninterruptable power supply. Lastly, there is the dual camera dash cam that has two cameras facing outwards and towards the interior of the vehicle, recording the activities in both directions.

As a customer, you can choose any of these dash cams as per your requirement. In terms of our local market, there aren't any authorized dealers for purchasing dash cams. But you can find these dash cams in local markets (in retail stores where car accessories and other parts are sold) or online. The price of a dash cam ranges from Rs. 3000 to more, depending upon features.