Cycle camera footage - a different kind of insurance

Running a cycle camera on your handlebars or helmet doesn't make the roads feel any safer, but you do almost immediately feel less helpless. In the event of a road traffic incident, video footage goes a long way towards guaranteeing legal redress - it's a cycle insurance of sorts.

One of the great frustrations about cycling on British roads is the challenges caused by a lack of infrastructure are compounded by an absence of justice for vulnerable road users. We are one of the only countries in Europe to eschew something known as strict liability - a common sense law that makes motorists automatically liable for injuries caused to pedestrians and cyclists. The result for us is that court cases rest one person's word against another - and given that pedestrians and cyclists are often injured in road traffic collisions, their recollection of events can be affected. And when you consider that legislators, the judiciary and jurors comprise almost exclusively of drivers and you begin to understand how the the cards are stacked against vulnerable road users. But now for the good news.

The Metropolitan Police is one of a number of forces that allows road users to upload camera footage when reporting a road traffic incident. The Met has already received over 20,000 submissions and around two thirds lead to action being taken. Such systems are a game changer for cyclists. Evidence of close passes, abusive drivers and collisions can all be passed to the police with the click of a mouse. One imagines the thousands of drivers who have already received penalty points following an online submission of camera footage will become more considerate and careful road users as a result.

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How does the law regard cycle camera evidence?

Aside from the police portals designed specifically for the purpose, there is no reason why footage cannot be admitted as evidence like CCTV is used. It is likely that a witness statement would have to accompany the cycle camera footage and it would have to be downloaded to a CD with a certificate (countersigned by a solicitor) stating that it had not been altered in any way from its original digital format.

Cheap cycle cameras

There are a thousand and one different types of action camera on the market, but don't make the mistake of thinking you need to spend a lot of money. The domination of the market by GoPro has inspired a host of Chinese competitors to follow suit. For example, the Akaso EK7000 is a 4K ultra high-definition action camera that shares more than a passing resemblance to a GoPro - even its various mounts are compatible. And while is doesn't have a touch screen, it's more than up to the job of recording the daily commute. Most importantly, it's great value at less than £50 - a price that includes a case that's waterproof to 30m and a bewildering array of mounts. The Akaso does a remarkably good job of capturing steady handlebar footage without the digital stabilisation offered by so many of its more expensive rivals.

We've been testing an Akaso action cam in the office and in the weeks to come we plan to chronicle the process of submitting footage to the police...given our collective experience of the daily cycle commute, it won't be long before we capture a dangerously close overtake. In the meantime, we're offering you the chance to win an Akaso EK7000 cycle camera.

Win your own cycle camera

To be in with a chance of winning an Akaso EK7000 action camera and accessories, simply leave a comment at the bottom of this page and we'll pick a winner next week.

The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance, travel insurance, breakdown cover and home insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

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