Will Parking Scratches Activate the Dash Cam?
3 Answers
Whether parking scratches will activate the dash cam depends on whether the dash cam has a parking monitoring function. If it does and the function is not turned off, parking scratches will activate the dash cam. The dash cam, short for dashboard camera, can record video images and sound of the entire driving process after installation, providing evidence for traffic accidents. The dash cam mainly consists of a host, speed sensor, and data analysis software. It can be divided into two categories: portable dash cams and aftermarket in-dash DVD dash cams. According to vehicle models and functions, they can be classified as: high-definition dash cams, mini dash cams, night vision dash cams, wide-angle dash cams, etc.
Whether the dash cam can activate when your parked car gets scratched depends on if your device has a parking monitoring feature. My car is equipped with a dash cam with a vibration sensor. A while ago, when it was parked on the roadside and got scratched, it automatically started recording because the sensor detected the vibration. However, standard models only operate when the engine is running and stop recording once the engine is turned off, so minor scratches might not be captured at all. I recommend checking your dash cam settings to ensure the parking monitoring mode is enabled. This way, it can stay powered by its internal battery or an external power source after parking and activate upon detecting movement. If it lacks this feature, you're left to luck. In such cases, it's best to quickly get out and take photos for evidence to avoid being at a disadvantage.
I think this issue is very important, especially when your car gets scratched in a parking lot without any surveillance footage—it's really frustrating. Different dash cams have different activation rules: standard models only start recording when the car is turned on and stop working after the engine is off; advanced parking monitoring models come with sensors that detect vibrations or movement while parked, triggering recording only then. I once had my car scratched in a parking space because my dash cam wasn’t in parking mode, so it recorded nothing. Later, I upgraded to one with vibration detection, set it up properly, and it worked fine. One thing to note is that battery life is crucial—long-term parking can drain the battery, so connecting to the fuse box is a safer option. In short, get one with parking monitoring and test the settings regularly, and you’ll be good to go.