Anderson Injury Lawyers | October 9, 2025 | Car Accidents
If you’re hit by a driver running a red light in Dallas, Texas, you may breathe a sigh of relief when you spot a traffic camera nearby. That footage could prove what really happened — but it won’t be available forever.
In Texas, traffic cameras automatically overwrite old data, sometimes within days or weeks, so acting quickly is crucial.
Traffic Camera Footage
Traffic cameras, like all recording systems, have limited storage capacity. Once they reach that limit, older footage is erased or overwritten with new recordings. This happens whether the camera is run by a city, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), or a private business.
There’s no Texas law that requires operators to keep footage for a set amount of time. Retention policies vary widely: some city-operated cameras may store footage for only a few weeks, while others delete it as soon as administrative or legal deadlines pass.
For instance, in Dallas, red light camera data may be cleared once the time to contest a citation expires—often about a month after the violation. Private security or doorbell cameras typically have even shorter retention periods. If you don’t request the footage quickly, it could be lost permanently.
Why Acting Fast Matters
Traffic camera footage can be vital in proving who was at fault for a crash. It may capture speeding, red-light violations, or other key details that strengthen your injury claim. However, once the footage is deleted, it can’t be recovered.
Taking immediate action after a collision increases your chances of preserving important evidence. An attorney can help identify which cameras recorded your accident and take steps to ensure the data isn’t destroyed before your case is filed.
How to Preserve Traffic Camera Footage After an Accident
You can’t control how long a camera system stores its recordings, but you can take proactive steps to protect potential evidence. Here’s how:
- Contact an experienced lawyer quickly: An experienced car accident attorney can move fast to locate nearby cameras and issue formal preservation requests. Not all camera owners will willingly share data, so your lawyer may need to use subpoenas or legal motions to secure the footage. Acting early helps prevent the loss of valuable evidence.
- Document the accident location: Take note of the exact location where your crash occurred, including intersections, businesses, or landmarks. Even if you didn’t notice any cameras, your attorney can investigate and determine whether any were present. If you’re unsure, your police accident report can help pinpoint potential camera sites.
- Send a preservation request immediately: A preservation request formally asks the camera owner not to delete or overwrite footage from the date and time of your crash. Your attorney can send this request to city departments, TxDOT, or private entities as needed. The sooner it’s sent, the more likely the footage will still exist.
Preserving traffic camera footage comes down to speed and precision: identify the location, get a lawyer involved, and send a clear preservation request right away.
The Role of Camera Footage in a Personal Injury Case
While a lack of footage doesn’t mean your case will fail, video evidence can make a significant difference. It provides clear, unbiased proof of what happened and can help speed up settlement negotiations or strengthen your claim in court.
Other forms of evidence—like eyewitness testimony, police reports, or vehicle damage—can still support your case, but video footage often provides a clearer, more compelling account of the crash. That’s why securing it early is one of the most important steps you can take after an accident.
What To Do if the Footage Is Gone
If traffic camera footage is unavailable, don’t lose hope. There are still many ways to build a strong claim. Your attorney can look for alternative sources of video, such as nearby business surveillance systems, dashcams, or residential security cameras.
Additionally, witness statements, expert accident reconstruction, and physical evidence from the scene can all help demonstrate fault. A skilled lawyer will know how to piece together these elements into a strong, well-supported case.
Take Action Before It’s Too Late
Traffic camera footage can be one of the strongest pieces of evidence in a Dallas car accident claim—but it won’t last long. Footage may be deleted within weeks unless steps are taken to preserve it. Acting quickly gives your attorney time to locate and secure this evidence before it’s lost forever.
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Fort Worth, Dallas, or Austin and need legal help, contact our car accident lawyers at Anderson Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation. We proudly serve Tarrant County, Dallas County, and throughout Texas.
Anderson Injury Lawyers – Fort Worth Office
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