Why Using Your Dash-Cam Abroad Could Turn Into A Video Nasty

Tue 7th Aug 2018

The use of dash-cams in the UK has grown considerably in recent years, with the technology used in accident investigation and insurance claims - but did you know the devices are not accepted across all of Europe?

There are still a number of countries across the EU which don’t allow for the use of dash-cams, and some police forces might even enforce huge financial penalties.

Austria, Luxembourg and Portugal have all banned the use of the video technology, whilst Germany, France and Belgium only allow the footage to be used privately - so no uploading to YouTube.

The punishments for getting caught using a dash-cam range from a £9,000 fine in Austria, to prison sentences in Luxembourg.

Tim Shallcross, head of technical policy and advice at IAM Roadsmart, said: “The dash cam can be a double-edged sword.

"It may show that you were not to blame in a crash, but the camera itself and any memory card used with it can be seized by the police if they suspect an offence has been committed.

"The internet now has lots of examples of drivers and riders who have been convicted on the evidence of their own helmet camera or dash cam."

The use of dash-cams is perfectly legal in the following European countries…

  • Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • Denmark

  • Italy

  • Malta

  • Netherlands

  • Serbia

  • Spain

  • Sweden