Are dashboard video cameras legal??

shakyjay wrote:

Winged One wrote:

Johno02 wrote:
Just heard a (unconfirmed) report that some lawyers are trying to sue users of dashboard cameras for "invasion of Privacy". because the cameras can record license plates and private information such as how many people are in a vehicle, if the vehicle is driving erratically, and the location of a persons vehicle at a particular time. Is that worse than a camera over the top of a bathroom stall?

To answer your subject question "Are dashboard video cameras legal??", technically in Michigan, if used as you would expect, no. Not legal.

Because of the following: MCL 257.709
(1) A person shall not operate a motor vehicle with any of the following: (c) An object that obstructs the vision of the driver of the vehicle, except as authorized by law.

I don't think you are going to find the dashboard video camera's authorized, but good for you if you can.

Does that mean you will get pulled over, ticketed and arrested?! Umm, doubtful. But technically, not legal (just like the multitude of things dangling from rear view mirrors, cell phone holders, etc that unless you find a bored LEO, you don't have to worry about).

That does not make a dashcam illegal simply means it has to be mounted so as not to obstruct the vision of the driver. Many of them are designed to mount on the backside of the rear view mirror or at least directly behind it. As things move forward I expect that someday we may see these as fairly standard equipment in new cars much like we now see back up cameras.

Yes, you are correct. IF mounted so as to not obstruct. But those that are designed to be mounted in such a way (either on the glass or on the dash, blocking the glass) would be technically illegally mounted. So the camera is not illegal, just how you mount it, might be.