Accessing Traffic Camera Footage in Alabama

Video footage of your car accident can really help your case, especially when it clearly shows that the other driver is at fault. Traffic cameras in Alabama are accessible through ALGO Traffic, an app run by the Alabama Department of Transportation. If you want to access live traffic camera footage, you can do so online – but if you need a copy of it, it can be a bit more challenging.

The ALGO Traffic camera system has traffic cameras all over the state. You can filter by city, county, and roadway. Because the footage for traffic cameras is served in 30-second snippets of real-time traffic, you cannot simply pull up footage of your accident from an archive. There is no public repository of this information, so you will have to contact the Alabama Department of Transportation or the municipality where your accident occurred. It’s not always easy to figure out how to request this footage, but our car accident attorneys in Huntsville and Decatur can help.

How can traffic cam footage help my case?

There is a variety of ways in which traffic cam footage can help your car accident case:

• Traffic camera footage can provide clear evidence of what happened leading up to an accident. It can show who had the right of way, whether traffic signals or signs were obeyed, and if any party was driving recklessly or negligently.
• The footage captures the sequence of events leading up to and during an accident. This can be important in determining fault and liability.
• Sometimes, witness testimonies may conflict or be unreliable. Traffic camera footage serves as an objective record of the events and can corroborate or refute witness statements.
• If you’re wrongly accused of causing an accident or violating traffic laws, traffic camera footage can serve as evidence to refute these false claims.
• In cases involving property damage or personal injury, traffic camera footage can provide insight into the extent of the damages and injuries sustained during the accident.
• Clear and objective evidence from traffic camera footage can help settlement negotiations by providing a basis for discussions between parties and their insurance companies.

Finally, if your case goes to trial, traffic camera footage can be presented as evidence in court to support your claims and help jurors understand what happened.

After an accident, if you are able, take a moment to notice your surroundings and see if there are any traffic cameras near the scene. Jot down the location of the camera (or cameras) so you can give this information to your attorney, who can work to secure the video footage.

At Martin & Helms, we will work to locate and download the video footage of your accident, using it as evidence in your car accident case. We have the resources and experience to do this, so it is important to contact us as soon as possible after your accident so we can begin searching for the appropriate footage.

How will your car accident attorney use the traffic cam footage?

We can leverage traffic camera footage in numerous ways. One application is the use of traffic camera footage as evidence in your accident case. By examining the footage, we can establish the sequence of events leading up to the accident, determine its cause, and identify any liable parties. This evidence is valuable for presenting a clear narrative of the incident.

Traffic camera footage also helps us in reconstructing the events surrounding an accident. We can piece together the movements of vehicles, pedestrians, and other relevant factors, creating a big-picture understanding of what happened. This reconstruction is important for building a compelling case and presenting it effectively in court.

More, traffic camera footage helps corroborate witness testimony and other evidence. In instances where there are discrepancies or conflicting accounts, the objective record provided by traffic cameras can help reconcile differences and establish the facts surrounding the accident.

Our attorneys also use traffic camera footage to illustrate instances of speeding, running red lights, reckless driving, and other illegal behaviors. This visual evidence strengthens our arguments and provides clarity on the actions of all parties involved.

Additionally, traffic camera footage plays a role in negotiation and settlement discussions. The clear depiction of events captured by the cameras can influence the negotiation process.

Finally, our attorneys can leverage the expertise of accident reconstruction specialists who analyze traffic camera footage and provide professional opinions. This expert testimony increases the understanding of technical details surrounding the accident and can be helpful in court proceedings.

Time is of the essence when trying to access traffic camera footage. Because the network of traffic cameras across the state is so vast, video is regularly deleted to make room for more. Traffic cameras aren’t made to record accidents, but are more geared toward getting a real-time look at traffic in your area.

Since the agencies that run these cameras don’t have a use for the footage, it is usually deleted and recorded over, sometimes within a matter of days. Our Huntsville and Decatur car accident attorneys can help you secure this footage – but only if you contact us as soon as possible after the accident. We have the resources and knowledge to work on getting this footage for you before it is deleted.

Were you involved in a car accident and are looking for traffic cam footage of the accident? Talk to the injury attorneys at Martin & Helms today for experienced help. We can work to secure traffic camera footage before it is deleted, using it for your best interests in your car accident case. Please reach out to us today to schedule a free consultation by calling our offices or filling out our contact form. We maintain offices in Huntsville and Decatur, and proudly serve Madison, Athens, and all of North Alabama.