Dash cam manufacturer Nextbase has launched a platform to enable drivers to report incidents of dangerous driving to the police through uploading video footage.
Nextbase claimed the National Dash Cam Safety Portal could reduce the processing time of such footage for police forces from 14 hours to a matter of minutes.
With an estimated 2.6 million dash cams in use in the UK, Nextbase said the platform could provide a uniform process for submitting videos captured on the roads to the constabulary.
Nextbase claimed all 39 police forces in England currently use different means of receiving and logging videos and said processes varied from submission via social media or email to motorists having to provide hard copies of video clips. It said this array of methods resulted in clips being ignored and unprocessed.
The firm added that the portal guides the user through a questionnaire that automatically generates a detailed witness statement upon conclusion of the submission, removing the need for police to visit a witness to take such a statement.
Superintendent Paul Moxley of West Mercia Police said: “While the benefits to motorists of this groundbreaking portal are clear, this convenience extends to police forces, since a process which previously took hours can now be reduced to a matter of minutes. The key in making this work for us has been determining a way of providing footage in an accessible format, whilst the creation of a witness statement is also integral to ensuring the process is as efficient as possible. In embracing this new technology, it enables the concerned road user to help us positively influence driver behaviour to make our roads a safer place for all users.”
Richard Browning, director of Nextbase, said, “The surge in Dash Cam usage in recent years is beneficial to motorists looking to protect themselves in the event of incidents on the roads, but it has meant an increase in the amount of footage sent to police forces.
“Until now forces have not had the means to process this footage, so the National Dash Cam Safety Portal has been developed with this in mind. The portal allows all road users to submit footage captured on devices, such as dash cams, which will enable the police to reduce such offences, ultimately making the roads safe for all users.”
The initiative is supported by Brake, the road safety charity, and Cycling UK, the national cycling charity.
