What is the California law regarding dash cam time & placard & location limits?

California is a "two party consent" state. That means that both parties to the recording (one of them being you) must be informed of the fact that they are being recorded.

A "one party consent" state will mandate that only one of the parties to the recording must be informed. And that one party would be you.

Failure to notify both parties in a "two party consent" state usually results in the recording being inadmissible in court, and you can be sued for failure to notify.

Does a sign on lets say a tow truck work as a way of notifying that recording in progress?

Reply to
summer
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A lot of times those laws were written back before there was any way to even record video and they only address audio recordings. So if you are worried, one way around it is to turn off the audio recording, most car cams have that option. That's one of the reasons stores were able to put in video surveillance without breaking laws, they didn't record the audio, just the video.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

Read the law regarding how police dash cams are made legal. The correct way to do this would make it legal for everyone and it may have by accident been done correctly.

Reply to
Brent

replying to richard, Coach Mike wrote: How would you know 30 seconds prior to an event that you were going to have an event? Does this only apply if you are intentionally going to ram another vehicle?

Reply to
Coach Mike

replying to bob mullen, Scott Roe wrote: What it means is that the camera can be capturing video but can only "Save"

30seconds before and after.
Reply to
Scott Roe

As far as device placement is concerned, just avoid the problem and get one that's built into the windshield-mounted rear-view mirror, or mount the cameras outside the passenger compartment. CHP SUVs have them on their hoods.

As far as timing, the device I have can be set to record in files of lengths 1, 2, or 5 minutes. Unless the g-shock sensor is triggered, all recorded files will be overwritten.

I do not see how they can mandate no recording prior to 30 seconds before an event. We don't have crystal balls and events (i.e. collisions) are not usually scheduled in advance. Now, they can ask that recordings not be retained long-term for that many seconds before an event which is saved for some reason (e.g. insurance claim, court, etc.), but to deny recording in the first place nullifies the use of the recording system in the first place and is nonsensical - thus a law void on its face.

Keeping the first 30 seconds after an event and not longer (unless another event occurs) can be mandated.

Note also the definition of "video event recorder" - that it EXCLUDES devices which continuously SAVE its record (CVC

26708(a)(13)(A)). So, how does one "record" without "saving" the data? This is what happens when politicians write stupid laws.
Reply to
D. Stussy

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