UK sales of dash cams increase 671 per cent in two years

The latest data from independent retail analysts GfK shows that sales of dash cams – small windscreen mounted cameras that records a motorist’s view – have increased by 671 per cent in just two years, making dash cams one of the fastest growing areas of consumer electronics in the UK.

UK-based Nextbase’s range of dash cams – which includes the Which? Best Buy 412GW (£129.99) – now accounts for more than 83.7 per cent of the market by volume and 87.4 per cent by value according to GfK. This is over 20 times higher than the next dash cam manufacturer in the UK.

Dash cam popularity can partly be attributed to shows such as ITV’s Car Crash Britain which highlight the dangers on British roads, and how a dash cam can effectively combat these dangers by providing video evidence that unequivocally proves who was at fault in an accident situation. The latest series of Car Crash Britain returns to ITV1 at 9pm on 4th May.

Richard Browning, Director at Nextbase commented: “With so many split liability and fraudulent insurance claims it's no wonder people are turning to dash cams to help prove their innocence in an accident situation. Not only does a dash cam give you peace of mind in a stressful situation like a crash, it can also help safeguard your insurance premium and save you considerable sums of money. TV shows like Car Crash Britain have played a big part in alerting the British public to the potential dangers on UK roads and it’s great to see so many motorists now using dash cams to help protect themselves and other safe drivers around them.”

Natasha Chauhan, Halfords’ dash cam buyer noted: “The peace of mind that dash cams offer all drivers has already driven a 300 per cent surge of sales in recent years. With new innovations coming in all the time and the backing of a major insurer offering significant savings, these helpful gadgets have just become even more desirable to motorists. We have experienced a surge in growth in dash cam sales - making in-car cameras one of the most frequently searched for product categories on our website.”

Insurers are also recognising the benefits of using video footage to determine fraudulent claims such as ‘crash for cash’. Many insurers are now offering significant policy discounts to motorists who fit a dash cam. For example, Sure Thing!, one of the UK’s fastest growing insurers, offers a 20% discount for motorists with a Nextbase dash cam. In February 2017 Nextbase contacted 41 of the UK’s largest insurers – all of which confirmed they would accept dash cam footage as part of a claims process.

Last year Halfords fitted over a third of dash cams bought at its stores as part of its fitting service which means that power wires are hidden behind the car's trim and the vehicle's power socket is free to charge and power other devices. This is the preferred installation method for most insurance companies. 

* All data according to GFK Point of Sales Tracking (GFK), between December 2014 and December 2016

For further information please contact Halfords@z-pr.com or 020 7896 3404.

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