Dash Cams

A dash cam records the road so you have a record if something happens. Choose one by the video quality you need, how it is powered, how it records when parked and the memory card it uses. Using one is legal in the UK, with rules on where you mount it and how you handle footage. Our research on specific models is listed below.

Last updated: 19 October 2026

How to choose

• Video quality and frame rate. Makers quote a resolution and frames per second. Nextbase’s page lists the 322GW at 1080p and 720p at 60 fps, although another section of the same page says 1080p at 30 fps, so check the specification table ^[4]. Road Angel lists the Halo Pro at 1440p at 30 fps ^[5].
• Front only or front and rear. Some models add a rear camera. Road Angel describes the Halo Pro as 2K at the front and 1K at the rear ^[5].
• Power and parking mode. Most dash cams plug into the 12 V socket. The RAC says you must hardwire one to the fuse box to use parking mode or to have it switch on and off with the engine ^[1]. Road Angel says some Halo Pro features need hardwiring ^[5].
• How it parks. Parking modes differ. Nextbase says the 322GW records a 30-second protected file after an impact and shuts down after 5 minutes if there is no further impact ^[4]. Road Angel says the Halo Pro switches to time-lapse after 15 minutes of inactivity and resumes normal recording if it detects an event ^[5].
• Memory card. Makers name a card size and type. Road Angel lists up to 128 GB, Class 10, with a card not included and high-endurance cards preferred for loop recording ^[5]. Nextbase suggests 32 GB for about 2 hours of footage, 64 GB for about 4 hours and 128 GB for up to 8 hours ^[4].
• Warranty and extras. Nextbase lists 12 months for the 322GW ^[4], and Road Angel lists 3 years for the Halo Pro ^[5]. Nextbase’s page lists an emergency response feature but gives no free period or cost, so check the terms before relying on any feature that may need a subscription ^[4].

Using one in the UK

These points come from the RAC, the law and the ICO. They are guidance, not legal advice.

• The RAC says dash cams are legal throughout the UK ^[1].
• Regulation 30 requires a motor vehicle to be built so that the driver can at all times have a full view of the road and traffic ahead ^[2]. That is a rule about the vehicle, so keep anything you add out of your line of sight. The RAC advises mounting the camera behind the rear-view mirror, not on the dashboard, and running the power lead along the edge of the windscreen ^[1].
• The RAC says touching or operating a dash cam while driving is illegal, with a £100 fine and three penalty points ^[1].
• The RAC says you must tell passengers that a camera is running, which matters for taxi and ride-hailing drivers and driving instructors ^[1].
• If you use a dash cam for work, the ICO says UK data protection law applies. It says to tell people they are being recorded, to keep audio off unless you can justify it, to delete footage after about a week if nothing has happened, and to pay the data protection fee, which is £52 a year for most small businesses ^[3]. The ICO says its guidance is under review, so check the current version.
• The ICO also says not to share footage on social media, because it risks exposing it to people who shouldn’t see it ^[3].

Questions people ask

Do I need to hardwire a dash cam?

Only if you want parking mode or automatic switching on and off with the engine. The RAC says most dash cams plug into the 12 V socket, and that hardwiring means connecting to the fuse box, which it recommends leaving to a professional ^[1].

Will a dash cam drain my car battery?

The RAC says dash cams use little energy and should make little difference to a healthy battery. It says a hardwired camera draws minimal power when the car is off and wakes only on an impact ^[1].

Will an insurer accept the footage?

The RAC says footage can show the police or your insurer what happened in a collision and can help a claim, especially if another driver was at fault. It gives no procedure, so check with your insurer. It also says a dash cam does not give you control over your premium the way a black box does ^[1].

How big a memory card do I need?

It depends on the camera and the quality you record at. Nextbase’s guide for the 322GW is 32 GB for about 2 hours, 64 GB for about 4 and 128 GB for up to 8 ^[4]. Road Angel says the Halo Pro supports up to 128 GB and recommends at least 16 GB ^[5].

Recalls and safety

Dash cams are electrical products with batteries. Check recalls before you buy and if you already own one. Our product safety and recalls page explains how we check.

We searched the official recalls list for “dash cam” on 19 October 2026 and found no dash cam recall. The two results were a web cam and a bin-lifting device. A search for “dashcam” returned nothing ^[6]. Search the official recalls list for your brand and model. Recalls checked 19 October 2026.

Related terms

• Dash cam bitrate
• Loop recording
• Dash cam parking mode
• Dash cam hardwiring

Sources

1. Dash cams guide: installation and insurance, RAC, rac.co.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.
2. Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, regulation 30, legislation.gov.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.
3. Dashcams and UK GDPR: what small businesses need to know, Information Commissioner’s Office, ico.org.uk. Checked 19 October 2026.
4. 322GW Dash Cam, Nextbase (European site), nextbase.eu. Checked 19 October 2026.
5. Halo Pro Front and Rear Dash Cam, Road Angel, roadangelgroup.com. Checked 19 October 2026.
6. Product safety alerts, reports and recalls, Office for Product Safety and Standards, GOV.UK. Searched 19 October 2026.