How Long Do Traffic Cameras Keep Footage of Car Accidents in Miami?

Traffic cameras can be helpful when injured drivers need to prove their claims in court, but the footage from these cameras does not stick around forever. Eventually, footage is erased or deleted, which is why you need an attorney who knows how to preserve the footage before it is lost.

How long videos may be available depends on the type of camera we are dealing with. Traffic cameras may save footage for about 10 to 30 days, depending on the camera and its location. Live monitoring cameras used by FDOT to monitor real-time traffic may save footage for only up to about 72 hours. We may want to seek out private cameras that might have been in the area, such as security cameras, as they might retain footage longer.

Contact our Miami car accident lawyers for a free, private legal review by calling Graves Injury Law Firm at (305) 614-2767.

How Long Are Videos from Miami Traffic Cameras Available?

Since videos from traffic cameras and other cameras in the area may be erased, we must work quickly to preserve the footage.

Traffic Cameras

Various authorities and agencies may own traffic cameras throughout Miami. The city of Miami owns many traffic cameras throughout the city. Others are operated by private companies, such as RedSpeed, which have partnered with Miami-Dade County.

Since not all traffic cameras are owned by a single entity, they may retain footage of accidents for varying lengths of time. In general, you can expect traffic cameras in Miami to save footage for only about 10 to 30 days.

Live Monitoring FDOT Cameras

Live monitoring cameras in Miami are owned and operated by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and are used to monitor traffic in real time. Since these cameras are designed to monitor rather than record, any footage they record is not saved for very long. If there is a live monitoring camera near your accident, it may only retain footage for about 24 to 72 hours.

Private Cameras

The footage contained on private security cameras may be unpredictable. These cameras may be around someone’s private residence or a privately owned building. How long they retain footage depends on how the owners have programmed them.

If privately owned cameras were near the accident, our Miami personal injury lawyers can try to find the camera owners as soon as possible. The sooner we find them, the more likely we are to obtain the footage before it is deleted.

How Can You Save Traffic Camera Footage Before it is Erased?

Whether there are traffic cameras, FDOT cameras, or private cameras out there with footage of your accident, we must take fast action to preserve the footage before it is deleted.

Identify the Camera’s Owner or Operator

First, we must identify the camera’s owner as quickly as possible. Sometimes this is obvious or easy to determine. Cameras along major highways are usually owned by municipal agencies or operated by law enforcement. We can also reach out to agencies like FDOT and ask about cameras in the area of your accident.

If we notice cameras on privately owned homes or buildings, we can note the address and search public records for the property owner.

File a Preservation Letter

When dealing with FDOT cameras, there are procedures for contacting FDOT to have the footage saved. We should quickly file a preservation letter with FDOT to save footage of the accident. We may need to include details about the time, date, and location of the accident so that FDOT employees know which camera has the footage we need,

File a Public Records Request

Many traffic cameras or other cameras operated by governmental authorities are part of the public record. As such, we can file public records requests under Florida’s broad public records laws. Remember, footage may be deleted quickly, so we need to file the request while the footage still exists.

What if Traffic Camera Footage is Erased Before We Can Obtain It?

Unfortunately, we might not be able to preserve video footage before it is deleted. However, that does not mean that all hope is lost.

Restoring Deleted Footage

Sometimes, deleted files are not gone forever. If we can talk to the camera’s owner, it might be possible to restore the deleted files. However, this is not always possible, so we should always have a backup plan.

Find Other Cameras

In especially busy areas, there may be more than one camera. There might be multiple traffic cameras along a particular stretch of highway, or more than one private residence or building is equipped with security cameras. There is a chance that other cameras still have the video footage saved.

Legal Penalties

If the opposing party is responsible for erasing or deleting the footage of the accident, we can ask the court to impose sanctions. In some cases, the judge may instruct jurors to treat the lost footage as if it were favorable to you.

FAQs About Using Traffic Camera Footage in Miami Car Accident Cases

How Often Are Miami Traffic Camera Videos Deleted?

How often videos from traffic cameras are deleted depends on which agency or authority oversees the camera. Traffic cameras usually save footage for about 10 to 30 days, while FDOT cameras that monitor traffic save footage for only about 24 to 72 hours.

How Do You Save Traffic Camera Footage Before it is Deleted or Erased?

If FDOT owns the camera, we can file a preservation letter to quickly save the footage. For other traffic cameras, we can reach out to the authorities in charge of the cameras and ask about obtaining copies. Different agencies may use different methods to preserve video files.

What if Traffic Camera Footage Has Been Deleted, Erased, or Destroyed?

If traffic camera footage has been erased or deleted, we may contact the camera owner to discuss the possibility of restoring the deleted files. If that is not possible, we can search for other cameras in the area.

What if the Opposing Party Owns or Controls Video Footage of the Car Accident?

If the opposing party owns or controls the video footage, we might not be able to access it until the discovery phase of your lawsuit. This may arise if the defendant had a dashcam in their car that recorded the accident. To protect the footage, we can bring it to the court’s attention, and the court will make sure that the defendant does not “accidentally” delete the footage before discovery.

Contact Our Miami Car Accident Attorneys for Legal Support

Contact our Ft. Lauderdale car accident lawyers for a free, private legal review by calling Graves Injury Law Firm at (305) 614-2767.